I doubt that new or inexperienced pilots are that foolish or easily influenced (unless they read PPRUNE!
) but what I do believe is that they are probably a combination of first 'big jet' job so still 'living the dream' but secondly, bullied by management (directly or indirectly) and also locked in by bonds which puts them all in a Hobson's choice position.
The most worrying thing is that if you believe in SMS principles particularly the James Reason culpability decision tree , we have an awful lot of 'professional' pilots out there knowing and willfully doing stuff which, while legal, is fundamentally unsafe (fatigue/rosters etc.) and by not saying 'no' they become negligent/reckless as a result - before anyone jumps all over me, I am not pointing fingers and I understand the pressure and reasons that lead to this - the root cause analysis points at management, airlines, company culture, regulators and ultimately ICAO (the toothless tiger!) - unfortunately, the guys sat down the front are the ones at the sharp end who bear the brunt and might pay with their lives in doing so!
The decline in professional quality is that the whole system is going wrong and being corrupted and that SMS is being paid lip-service and flight crew are being forced into situations that they know are unsafe ( although 'legal' - just because its legal doesn't mean its right/safe, right!) but due to greed $$$ and regulatory apathy, they can do nothing about it - the ultimate Hobson's choice - 'your job or your life' - we have reached a very sad place in modern aviation
