A Career Up in Smoke

[seethru]

Her user name in the blog is Aviatrix. Wasn't there a gal that went by that same handle here a few years back? Just curious.

 

[mzaharis]

Her user name in the blog is Aviatrix. Wasn't there a gal that went by that same handle here a few years back? Just curious.

I assume you're referring to Ms. Earhart, but the term is simply the female form of aviator, just as executrix is the female form of executor.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=aviatrix

 

[mzaharis]

I assume you're referring to Ms. Earhart, but the term is simply the female form of aviator, just as executrix is the female form of executor.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=aviatrix

My apologies. I didn't read your last post closely enough. I didn't realize you were referring to someone who posted here. If I had, I wouldn't have posted the remedial English. I'd delete my previous post, if the edit time didn't already expire. (In fact, Moderators, if you want, please feel free to delete this post and my last post, if it is not too inconvenient).

 

[ReverseSensing]

I can smell what you're cooking. And while she may come to regret her heat-of-the moment blog, I don't think it will spark any rekindling of 50's era sexist attitudes. She got burnt, sure, but hell it could happen to anyone. I'm guessing she was just a bit too unstable for the job, and when the heat was on she completely lost her cool. But I'm not carrying any torch for her, I temper my remarks with a caution. Aviation is littered with burned-out shells of those who didn't have the fire in their guts and steel in their eye. But those forged of sterner stuff can rise like the Phoenix from the ashes of infernal adversity. If she's at all bright, she'll see the light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully end up blazing off into the sunset.

*polite golf clap*

 

[Alamanach]

Did I miss something here?

Yes, you did.

I think I'm missing it too. I don't have thousands (or even hundreds) of hours like you guys, so please give me some insight here. I can imagine how doing a go-around in IMC could be frightening-- frightening enough that maybe you let your co-pilot handle the landing while you calm down. I don't at all get why she felt the need to retire. It was a close scrape, but they came through unharmed, so what's the big deal?

Is her lack of grace under pressure the lesson to learn from this (and is that lack of grace what lost her her job), or are you more experienced pilots picking up on something else?

 

[Yellowbird]

I think I'm missing it too. I don't have thousands (or even hundreds) of hours like you guys, so please give me some insight here. I can imagine how doing a go-around in IMC could be frightening-- frightening enough that maybe you let your co-pilot handle the landing while you calm down. I don't at all get why she felt the need to retire. It was a close scrape, but they came through unharmed, so what's the big deal?

Is her lack of grace under pressure the lesson to learn from this (and is that lack of grace what lost her her job), or are you more experienced pilots picking up on something else?

In her own words:

"I had a spatial disorientation episode in forest fire smoke during which the FO had to take control of the airplane."

If you read her detailed account, she didn't panic, she wasn't scared, and she didn't break under pressure. She just found herself so far behind the airplane the she could not recover. After the fact, she critically evaluated the circumstances that brought her to that point and concluded that her own poor judgment was at fault. With that in mind, she wisely grounded herself.

Those of you who have never made mistakes that could have had catastrophic consequences may throw all the stones you wish. Those who have made such mistakes, and lived to tell about it, would be wise to appreciate what lessons you may have learned form your mistakes and graciously allow her the chance to learn from hers before you take aim.

 

[Alamanach]

If you read her detailed account, she didn't panic, she wasn't scared, and she didn't break under pressure. She just found herself so far behind the airplane the she could not recover. After the fact, she critically evaluated the circumstances that brought her to that point and concluded that her own poor judgment was at fault. With that in mind, she wisely grounded herself.

I'm with her up to there, but why didn't she get back on the horse? I don't see why this grounding had to be permanent.

 

[Yellowbird]

I'm with her up to there, but why didn't she get back on the horse? I don't see why this grounding had to be permanent.

If you read her following posts, you'll see that she appears to be doing just that (getting back on the horse, that is).

Perhaps her resignation was premature, but that's history now. She seems to hold herself to a very high standard, and failing her personal standards may have been at least as traumatic as nearly losing control of the airplane.

In any case, she's written in her subsequent posts a very insightful account of her recovery. Like all of her posts, they are very educational and worth taking the time to read, particulate if you have faced, or anticipate facing, a similar crisis of self confidence.

 

[JimNtexas]

Her posts are several weeks behind real time, but from the tone of this one it looks like she's going to get back on the horse. She's also being honest with her prospective employers about why she left her prior job.

 

[TrafficInSight]

Perhaps her resignation was premature, but that's history now. She seems to hold herself to a very high standard, and failing her personal standards may have been at least as traumatic as nearly losing control of the airplane.

I think anytime you're asked to resign it's premature.