We are staring into the ugly face of modern airline aviation. The danger of eroding quality and safety, of overworking employees, of cutting their training, of stretching all limits pops up at almost every accident.
This one here bears all the marks of the above.
Instead of accusing the real culprit and asking for remedial action, many of us revert to pathetically attack each other or flagellate themselves of not knowing anything about anything.
Funnily enough the same contributors who attack others for not being humble enough, for not acknowledging to not know enough, that each and everyone can be caught out and has to be vigilant and not too overconfident, are the same ones who run to defence of lowering the bar and accepting lower experienced buddies when others want the quality to be maintained, calling them arrogant.
Gentlemen, we are talking about the pillars of safe airmanship:
Good training, build up and maintenance of experience and a healthy and sustainable working environment. Everything the airlines try very actively to reduce and not your fellow pilots.
So pick your battle, please.
It is not feudally asking for a cushy contract if we demand a sustainable roster and rest, considering the findings of scientific research.
It is in the name of safety and health.
But at the same time it is not arrogance, looking down on others, or putting one’s self on a pedestal when we criticise the lowering of the bar in accepting even lesser experienced pilots and trainers, the required ones not applying in sufficient numbers and the experienced others leaving disillusioned.
It’s simply common sense and logic.
In this expatriate environment with no leaders, but dumb drill sergeants, where different mentalities collide, where different licenses mean completely different things, where training is overshadowed by dictatorial fleet and useless administration, where punishment is preferred to debate and learning, there are three things that help us:
Training, experience and a rested mind.