Photoflight
AIR rAMBO
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2005
- Posts
- 541
Found this on another forum
"A Modest Proposal
Commercial aircraft are relatively docile and easy to control. Modern glass cockpits have reduced cockpit activity to routine procedure. All activities are controlled by autopilot electronics and flight management computers. The old challenge of the “continuous control” needed to maintain course speed and altitude has been replaced by a fight against complacency, to maintain wakeful vigilance and attention to boring routine detail. Because of this the mistakes made at Lexington Blue Grass are as predictable as they are unbelievable.
At Blue Grass multiple failures must have occurred on many levels. Taxi directions are given in detail to the cockpit crew. The cockpit crew orally reads back the directions to confirm, and then orally reports to the tower when they are at the assigned runway ready for take off. The runway is identified by lighted signs with big bright red and white numbers. The runways are further identified by building sized numerals painted on the macadam just past the threshold. The heading indicator in the cockpit gives clear indication to both the pilot and co-pilot when the heading of the aircraft matches the heading of the runway, which corresponds to the runway number. No cockpit is without detailed maps of the taxiways for the subject airport. In addition to all of that, the person in the tower is (should be) looking at the airplane that he/she is clearing for takeoff. Yet look what happened at Blue Grass.
In actuality, “pilots” have gone the way of railroad firemen and flight engineers after them. They are not needed anymore. The planes almost fly themselves. What’s needed in the modern glass cockpit is a conservative mature person who can deal with the endless mindless tasks involved without becoming complacent. Not some hot shot ‘captain’ that spends his autopilot cruise time chatting it up with the flight attendants, but rather a mature professional that gives constant attention to course speed and altitude and is ever mindful of the next waypoint. One who can maintain constant vigilance, without becoming complacent. Someone who won’t get bored with the routine.
In the next few years there’s going to be a plethora of retired baby boomer professionals that will be looking for something constructive and interesting to do with their new available time. Retired professionals don’t become bored easily with mindless tasks. They are able to pay attention to routine detail for long periods and do not become complacent. They can follow procedures unquestioningly. They don’t take risks. They don’t excite easily. They don’t drink a lot and party late. Their skills and abilities are well suited to today’s glass cockpit environments. Many would be thrilled at the chance to fly commercial jet aircraft for free as volunteers! Airlines need only provide accommodations and meals while on travel. Indeed there would be enough volunteers that flight schedules would be light and unstressed.
Let’s face it. It is not that difficult to fly the big jets. Many of you reading this letter know exactly what I’m talking about. Retired professionals could be easily trained and type certified in a matter of days if not hours. The challenge of managing a glass cockpit is just not sufficient for young athletic fighter pilot types anymore. These are exactly the type of people who become bored with the routine and monotony of today’s glass cockpit environment and become complacent and therefore susceptible to the type of accident that occurred at Blue Grass. It is time to consider staffing the glass cockpits with retired professional volunteers rather than ‘career’ pilots. Pilots just aren’t needed anymore."
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Here is where I found it...
http://letters.salon.com/opinion/fea.../view/?show=ec
It is in the editors "top 4 letters in response to his article"
Check out the 3rd letter down the page "another avoidable accident"...it's just as bad, commenting on how regional pilots/planes are unsafe.
"A Modest Proposal
Commercial aircraft are relatively docile and easy to control. Modern glass cockpits have reduced cockpit activity to routine procedure. All activities are controlled by autopilot electronics and flight management computers. The old challenge of the “continuous control” needed to maintain course speed and altitude has been replaced by a fight against complacency, to maintain wakeful vigilance and attention to boring routine detail. Because of this the mistakes made at Lexington Blue Grass are as predictable as they are unbelievable.
At Blue Grass multiple failures must have occurred on many levels. Taxi directions are given in detail to the cockpit crew. The cockpit crew orally reads back the directions to confirm, and then orally reports to the tower when they are at the assigned runway ready for take off. The runway is identified by lighted signs with big bright red and white numbers. The runways are further identified by building sized numerals painted on the macadam just past the threshold. The heading indicator in the cockpit gives clear indication to both the pilot and co-pilot when the heading of the aircraft matches the heading of the runway, which corresponds to the runway number. No cockpit is without detailed maps of the taxiways for the subject airport. In addition to all of that, the person in the tower is (should be) looking at the airplane that he/she is clearing for takeoff. Yet look what happened at Blue Grass.
In actuality, “pilots” have gone the way of railroad firemen and flight engineers after them. They are not needed anymore. The planes almost fly themselves. What’s needed in the modern glass cockpit is a conservative mature person who can deal with the endless mindless tasks involved without becoming complacent. Not some hot shot ‘captain’ that spends his autopilot cruise time chatting it up with the flight attendants, but rather a mature professional that gives constant attention to course speed and altitude and is ever mindful of the next waypoint. One who can maintain constant vigilance, without becoming complacent. Someone who won’t get bored with the routine.
In the next few years there’s going to be a plethora of retired baby boomer professionals that will be looking for something constructive and interesting to do with their new available time. Retired professionals don’t become bored easily with mindless tasks. They are able to pay attention to routine detail for long periods and do not become complacent. They can follow procedures unquestioningly. They don’t take risks. They don’t excite easily. They don’t drink a lot and party late. Their skills and abilities are well suited to today’s glass cockpit environments. Many would be thrilled at the chance to fly commercial jet aircraft for free as volunteers! Airlines need only provide accommodations and meals while on travel. Indeed there would be enough volunteers that flight schedules would be light and unstressed.
Let’s face it. It is not that difficult to fly the big jets. Many of you reading this letter know exactly what I’m talking about. Retired professionals could be easily trained and type certified in a matter of days if not hours. The challenge of managing a glass cockpit is just not sufficient for young athletic fighter pilot types anymore. These are exactly the type of people who become bored with the routine and monotony of today’s glass cockpit environment and become complacent and therefore susceptible to the type of accident that occurred at Blue Grass. It is time to consider staffing the glass cockpits with retired professional volunteers rather than ‘career’ pilots. Pilots just aren’t needed anymore."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is where I found it...
http://letters.salon.com/opinion/fea.../view/?show=ec
It is in the editors "top 4 letters in response to his article"
Check out the 3rd letter down the page "another avoidable accident"...it's just as bad, commenting on how regional pilots/planes are unsafe.
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