SquidRings
19th Aug 2005, 15:33
I am a mere mortal. A passenger. I am not particularly interested in aviation, and I'm definately not an enthusiast, plane spotter, journalist or wanabee.
But I have been an occasional visitor to this site for the last few years. I think I first came here because I was interested in the cause of a mysterious air crash. PPRuNE gave me a fascinating insight into the mysterious goings on behind the cockpit door (if that's the right word).
It's rather addictive.
As I am a rather nervous flyer, I always assume that there is something scary going on in there. So it's reassuring to find that pilots are on the whole not at all complacent about safety. Sometimes I have read about amazing professionalism and even bravery. Also I get the impression that the job can be very mundane at times, and that pilots resent the idea that they are constantly battling with the controls to prevent disaster. They also resent prattling members of the untrained public butting in on a forum for professional pilots. Fair enough. But I'd like to offer another perspective.
In the old days, nervous passengers were sometimes invited onto the flight deck, and I always thought that would be reassuring and I might like to ask. No that is not possible for obvious reasons. So for me PPRuNE is interesting and useful. I'm a scientist and I know flying isn't magic, but a part of my brain will never believe that such a big piece of metal can get up into the air. Or, more importantly, stay there. I wish I never had to fly. But sometimes I do.
This site goes a little way to popping the bubble of mystique that pilots have created about them. Or perhaps the public create it. Perhaps some pilots even enjoy this mystique, but I think it contributes to my fear of flying.
More importantly the open and informed discussion of the causes and prevention of disasters (including pilot error) surely contributes to safety.
But I have been an occasional visitor to this site for the last few years. I think I first came here because I was interested in the cause of a mysterious air crash. PPRuNE gave me a fascinating insight into the mysterious goings on behind the cockpit door (if that's the right word).
It's rather addictive.
As I am a rather nervous flyer, I always assume that there is something scary going on in there. So it's reassuring to find that pilots are on the whole not at all complacent about safety. Sometimes I have read about amazing professionalism and even bravery. Also I get the impression that the job can be very mundane at times, and that pilots resent the idea that they are constantly battling with the controls to prevent disaster. They also resent prattling members of the untrained public butting in on a forum for professional pilots. Fair enough. But I'd like to offer another perspective.
In the old days, nervous passengers were sometimes invited onto the flight deck, and I always thought that would be reassuring and I might like to ask. No that is not possible for obvious reasons. So for me PPRuNE is interesting and useful. I'm a scientist and I know flying isn't magic, but a part of my brain will never believe that such a big piece of metal can get up into the air. Or, more importantly, stay there. I wish I never had to fly. But sometimes I do.
This site goes a little way to popping the bubble of mystique that pilots have created about them. Or perhaps the public create it. Perhaps some pilots even enjoy this mystique, but I think it contributes to my fear of flying.
More importantly the open and informed discussion of the causes and prevention of disasters (including pilot error) surely contributes to safety.