As an expat pilot you have to a simple choice to make: Stay in a system that does not meet Western/ or even minimum standards of safety, or leave.
If you continue to work in a system that puts peoples lives at risk unnecessarily or even intentionally do you not have a moral obligation to stop supporting this system? Would it be seen as acceptable for e.g. a Doctor of Medicine to follow procedures he knows to be incorrect or to turn a blind eye to the incompetence of his peers in return for cold hard cash?
If you fly in S.E Asia you will find:
1) The unalterable blind faith that safety is ensured by absolute adherence to minor SOPS. That there can only be one SOP to cover all conditions. E.g Why so many runway over-runs in SE Asia? There is only one reverse and or brake setting that is SOP regardless of runway length or condition.
2) That all SOPs are equal i.e. the correct setting of the Altimeters is no less or more important than then the correct phraseology when releasing the Engineer after engine start.
3) The ability to fly the aircraft in a normal or abnormal configuration is seen as a minor skill and irrelevant, and anyway it is somewhat subjective and hard to assess, unlike a black and white SOP.
4) The ability to manage a flight deck is irrelevant, and anyway it is somewhat subjective and hard to assess, unlike a black and white SOP.
5) There is no word in any Asian language for 'Airmanship".
6) If it is in a manual it is fact even if it is an obvious typo.
7) Technical knowledge of aircraft systems is pointless as you would not be allowed to apply it anyway if it means deviating from SOPs.
8) Flight Data monitoring is there to prove local pilots are always better than foreigners.
9) A good old culture of blame and punishment.
The whole of SE Asia suffers from the 'China syndrome' to some extent. In China it is somewhat exaggerated and extreme.
If you think all of these things actually put peoples lives at risk I believe you must show integrity and get out. By taking the money, and keeping these airlines flying, you are enabling.
Cleve Saville (Major Ret.)
Last edited by Major Cleve Saville; 14th Aug 2015 at 07:08.