"The Best of Aviation Safety Digest" - a proposed book by Mac Job.
 

Most pilots of middle age will recall the free copies of Aviation Safety Digest whose editor was Macarthur Job. The fact it was free to all licence holders was indeed a bonus, but such was the excellence of it's content, most pilots would have willingly paid for their copy. Mac Job ran the magazine during the period 1964 to 1978.

Time marches on, policemen look younger every day, and many of the younger generation of pilots including captains in Virgin Blue and Qantas have either never heard of Mac Job's Aviation Safety Digest or had reason to trawl through aviation libraries to find one precious copy.

Recently in Pprune there was much discussion between the relative merits of Aviation Safety Digest versus the current Flight Safety Australia. Most of those familar with Aviation Safety Digest regard it as the doyen of flight safety magazines primarily because Mac Job's clear well written English, devoid of bureaucratic-speak, made the study of accidents and incidents so interesting that readers would wait with anticipation for the next issue. Don't just take my word for it - read recent Pprune pages.

The magazine was popular among airline and general aviation readers because of its concise and intelligent comments on accidents and incidents. Although FSA is also free to licence holders, it is unfortunately burdened with cost recovery policy which in turn means any flight safety content is heavily diluted with gaudy self promotion of CASA and ATSB material as well as numerous flying training organisations flogging their wares.

It has been suggested to Mac Job that he publish a book called "The Best of Aviation Safety Digest." Those who have never had the privilege of reading the magazine may now have that opportunity - if the project gets off the ground. Each accident story in the book will be carefully selected from the hundreds that were published over the years 1964 to 1978.

The reason for this post is to gauge the response of Pprune readers (and hopefully convince the publisher) that the book has a good chance of being a best-seller among flight safety conscious Australian pilots.

Is there no responses here? I'd buy it for sure...

I am one of those 'pilots of middle age' you mention that does have and frequently refers to his copies of the ASD. The ASD was valuable to me.

Is it valuable today?

Some considerations:
The ASD was written about the industry as it was over 30 years ago. It spoke of the things in the language of the day.
The regulatory environment has changed many times over since that time (pillocks) from an all emcompassing, some would say benevolent government department to todays ineffective national regulatory authority ( dressed up as a GBE).
The equipment we operate and maintain is very different then and now. From pistons to jets, from sextants to GNSS (same principle though)
The role of 'Pilot' has been diminished by evolution and in some cases deliberate actions of individuals (especially lawyers and regulators).
Society is very much different in its expectations (wants a champagne service on a beer budget) and pursuit of retribution (product liability and 'compensation').
The commercial market is more diverse and cost driven (shareholders priority over customers).
Diminished and devolved training and licencing requirements.

I guess what I am saying is, despite the value of the ASD to me (and my compatriots) 30 or 40 years ago, I am wondering how relevant we can make a 're-print' to todays industry participants that stand to receive the greatest benefit from it.

Make it relate to today and I believe the 'book' will be worth the effort.

tipsy.

Still huge value in reading these brilliant crash comics in todays times.

I'd definitely want a copy.

Where do I send my credit card details? :ok:

Whilst it may reflect operations of 30+ years ago, the safety message is still the same.I would certainly buy a copy, even those I have a fair few of the original issues.

Ditto here, the safety message is still very relevant.

Regardless of how aviation has evolved. Regulatory or equipment? The mechanical decision making flaws of the biological interface still haunt the accident records. CFIT after flying into deteriorating weather is still a biggy, as is poor decisions on aircraft performance.

Mac has at least one copy sold:ok:

PS I take it the online project is now on hold?

tipsy,

Your points are valid but I feel a reprint would still be beneficial.

The failings today are mainly human and my memory of the ASD was that they dealt with many of those same issues. In many ways we are failing to heed the lessons of history that were paid for in blood.

There have been many threads on PPRuNe lately that show people are not learning those lessons. I have seen threads critical of CRM courses; yet another is deriding the Garuda FO's testimony to the court over the fatal crash at Yogjakarta (sp?) and highlights the problems of "face". Closer to home, Lockhart River is a prime example of the failure to learn.

There is a whole generation out there that would benefit from those excellent articles. The equipment may have changed but the same human failings are still the same.

Consider another copy sold!:ok:

One of the most effective (and sometimes chilling) features of the old ASD was often on the final summary of each accident, which as I remember them ran along the lines of, as an example..

The probable cause of the accident was the continuation of flight into conditions that were not condusive to VFR flight.

I'll buy a copy. Even if there was no relevance to today's world (personally I think there would be PLENTY of relevance) it would be a very interesting read all the same.

I still have well over 1/2 the originals in my bookshelf and I'd buy a copy of a 'Best of' book.

No-one has found a new and completely unique way of crashing in a LOT longer than 40 years...pilots STILL have VFR->IMC accidents even in hi tech Cirrus aircraft...and most of the fleet is the same aircraft we were flying when Mac Job was the editor anyway.

Mac might find it in his heart to pick say 10 or 12 accidents from the last 20 years and give them his searching editorial treatment and scatter them throughout the book juxtaposing them between more historical accidents...THAT would round off the book very well indeed and ensure relevance to Gen Y.

Count this poster in as a supporter and customer. My addrsss book will be sure to garner a further line of collectors and new readers.

yep, I'd be a customer

I am all for it and would certainly buy a copy.

What does concern me however is the fact that most of the posters here in this thread are those who remember the old crash comics (and still own them). Where are the GenY / new CPLs who Mac Job would be trying to target?

Playing with their IPODs?

Eureka - get Mac Job to podcast! :E

I'd buy it, I know a fair few others who would. Am guessing it would become a valuable edition at any flying school worth their money.

The current FSA is ok but I often end wanting more detail... comes from reading Mac Job's books as a kid I suppose (ps I'm not a day over 26 ;) so it's not just the older ones who remember his writing...)

A "best of" has another valid reason for publication. It meets with another of my favourite aphorisms:

Learn from the mistakes of others because you will never live long enough to make them all yourself."

Go for it.:ok:

Personally I think that if Mac Job wrote the Sydney Phone Directory it would be a good read.

I'll certainly buy his new book should the project come to fruition.

BTW, I'm one of the "mature group" who had licences before ARNs.

To me a recurrent thread in the ASD was that our predecessors were distressingly unoriginal in the ways that they came to grief. I, too, have yet to make an original error in flight rather than a rerun of what others have already done.

Hell yes, I'll buy it:ok:. I grew up on a diet of the ASD and kept them all (until I left home & they got turfed out:{). I suggested to Mac a few years ago that he consider another book in the same vein as the 'Air Crash' and 'Air Disaster' series, but focussed on GA. Woulda bought that as well! Also, the same 172s, Cherokees, Barons, 310s and Navajos etc that were getting pranged then are still getting pranged today, for largely the same reasons:rolleyes:.