Can SIA review some procedures?

[Contrails]

I know that´s very soon, but after reading some "hot" opinions here (well before any serious accident), what can change in SIA after the B744 crash in Taipei, from now on?

[A Few Good Men]

Recent fleet meeting RJ Tan says save cost save cost.I pax Sin to Lax in economy and then operate next day.What kind of sh!t is this.SIA tech crew walking around with fatigue all the time and now they want to hang the tech crew.You think about it.

[PILLOW]

AFGM
I always thought tech crew paxing
is first class . Is there a change ?

[This message has been edited by PILLOW (edited 09 November 2000).]

[Balthazar]

Only if a first class seat is available. Only EY is blocked. Unfortunately (or should that be fortunately) Our first and business class is often full and we are sent to the back. Not easy when you do it a couple of times a month, and at half pay.

[411A]

I see not much has changed at SQ on the B747 fleet since I was at SQ. They ALL looked very tired ALL the time. I stayed on the B707 with longer layovers. Much more relaxing.

[Sir Jerker]

No one has answered Contrails to this point. In the light of Taipei, what can Singapore Airlines do to fix "problems" that exist. There are three basic reasons that the "problems" exist.
1. Asia is a booming economy. That translates to rapid expansion and quick promotion. I have over 8,000 legs (landings) in my log book. A singaporean captain would be lucky to hit the 1,000 mark.
2. The hierachal system where captain is God works fine in Singapore. The problem is it doesn't work in an aircraft. A singaporean captain once told me that even his family call him captain when he puts his uniform on. Does anyone except those who have worked for Singapore Airlines, know how really hard it is to bite your tongue or to stop rolling around on the floor laughing when you hear a good joke.
3. The loss of face has Singapore struggling for the old rwy 13 centreline at Kai Tak even though it is a lost cause. Why doesn't he go around? Loss of face lah. That and the fact that F/O Johnny Wong is going to tell everybody how Captain Lah screwed up the other day. Why does Johnny do this? It is encouraged in him from the day his education begins.

So Contrails, what can Singapore Airlines learn from Taipei? It can sack all the locals and replace them with "pilots". Pilots want to fly areoplanes, Singaporeans do not. That in itself will solve the problem which is in essence, cultural. OR it can bring in and insist that CRM (the true CRM that is) is taught and listened too and practiced. But that wouldn't please Captain Lah, would it, so forget that one. Only one choice then.

[NavData]

Thank you Jerker, I appreciated your opinion.
As we can see they are in the middle of a thunderstorm, and they can't return but it's been hard to go forward (new airplanes, no pilots available, deteriorated working conditions, serious incidents and accidents). Based on many statements here, without review basic rules for an airline, like training, CRM, relationship and friendship, during a tough competition like now, many problems can arise. Was that accident a small part of a "latent" iceberg? Can we compare SIA with KAL or CAL?

[joblessflyer]

sir jerker

just want to correct your statement that majority of the SQ pilots are either expats, malaysians or ex-malaysians. and pure singaporeans do want to fly aeroplanes,many of them even went away from home to some remote indo-china country, paid their own type rating(US$20000),receiving salary of less than $1300 just to fly aeroplanes.

they are just hindered by some stupid air force red tape and many malaysian/ex-malaysian senior management pilots stopping them from joining SQ. dont tell me they are not good enough for SQ cos some of them I know are flying Airbuses,B767,ATR's etc and they have impaccable records.

please do your research next time before you critisize local pure singaporean pilots, obviously you have not met one yet.

no hard feelings pls,nothing against you.

[Boeing666]

Dear SirJerker, I happen to be a junior pilot (And LOCAL too!!!) and I don't seem to be having any problems with anyone for speaking up when the need arises. And neither do my contemporaries. I've been commended and thanked (by locals & expats alike) for reminding them of something, or pointing out something that's not right. I feel that's it's all got to do with the way that u say it. There's a big difference in calling 'GLIDESLOPE' compared to calling out 'YOU'RE TOO LOW!!' It sends the same message without being a smart ass LAH. Get my drift, mate?

Agreed, there are the slackers out there, but there are also the ones that really love, and want to fly, and go to great lengths to improve ourselves in our job/hobby. I truly believe that the slackers exist in any airline, anywhere in the world. In fact, I think they are present in any line of work, at all levels. If u know otherwise, and know of a company where everyone is 'just super', please let me know about it, cos I would love to fly for them!

Anyway, with reference to some things that u said that I agree with, I strongly believe that things are changing for the better. And quite rapidly too.

Just a final note. My flying instructor used to say 'All men have 2 heads. Use only the bigger one for thinking!!!!' So I suggest u do that before u make such generalised, biased, sweeping statements. Not every local ,nor expat for that matter, is the same. Just like most Aussies are really nice, but some aren't LAH. Get it?

Cheers!! :)

[PILLOW]

Sir Jerker

8000 legs

you are a very experience first officer ~!!!!

[hopharrigan]

To reply to the original point of changing procedures. I assume you mean make them better, and get rid of bad procedures.
Don't hold your breath.
Airlines in Asia generally will assume that the incident/accident was caused despite the best efforts of the management, and is due to the pilots not following the procedures as published. They will not look at the procedures with a view to amending them.
You will see that if they have failing procedures, and there is an incident, they will force the use of those same procedures, only more intensely!
Why? because to change a procedure indicates that there was something wrong with it, and if there was something wrong with it then the management guy who put it in the book would have been wrong. So to protect his position/reputation he and his mates will not even consider changing anything.
I remember in SIA that one of the Chief Pilots (a nice guy all the same) was responsible for "suggestions" put in by expats, and his primary role was to find ways to reject the suggestions. He was good at his job.

[Hypoxia999]

Sir Jerker,

Your opinions and criticisms are far too personal and exaggerated. There are many good chaps around - Locals(non Sporean), Singaporeans and Expats. Only a few bad hats who happen to be Singaporeans. Usually they tend to be the egotistical ones and mostly Singaporean converts who think they are promoted by merit. Don't let a recent tragedy justify your prejudiced opinion.