I've come to the conclusion that aviation will not change until the entire generation of pilots that 'did what they had to do to make a buck and get the job done' retires from their positions of training, decision making and ownership in the industry.
And I have come to the conclusion that you are assuming to much.
What should we do, retire and let all you new age experts take over aviation?
I just happen to be in the generation that you are referring to and you think that I should not be allowed to teach flight safety?
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The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
It's usually the high time guys who would kick your ass for doing what they used to do. You may have noticed, it isn't the older guys who are getting themselves killed? Wonder why? It's also not the "cowboys" dieing. It's the "really nice, great pilots, best I've known"....etc. The assholes are living longer than ever before! Only the good die young.
Believe me when I tell you, most of us high time old folks will chicken out long before the young Turks. And we'll be sitting with our beers reading about the young guys in the obits.
This is why I'm always on about looking after yourself. Ignore all the warn fuzzy, feel good crap. Just follow the simple guide I posted at the beginning of this thread. It's all real simple stuff. It'll save your bacon.
I hearby humbly shut up. It was inappropriate to take this thread in the direction I did. I would like nothing more than to meet and learn from the likes of Cat, Hedley and Doc (although I think Doc and I would have some gooders to argue about) but if I were to share in detail some things I've seen, (which I will not do on a public forum) you would all be appalled. I did not mean to call out all the 'old guys' but only the bad apples with a lot of influence. No different than TC as a regulator or any other profession that has people's lives in their hands.
Well I follow this forum a lot but don't like to get too involved as it seams to always get personal, but given the events (accidents) of the last week or two in BC, I have to comment.
The last several accidents and missing aircraft have involved "older" pilots. I do not however believe that the age factor has a real bearing on the current increase in accidents.
IMHO a general sense of complacency however is a factor. Now I am not blaming TC for this, or the individuals involved in the recient accidents, but the fact is that the private aircraft and operators are no longer even on the radar as far as TC is concerned. Human nature is to let thinks go to the point we are comfortable with, some have a very "do it right" attitude, while others are comfortable with letting "unnecessary" items slide. Even from the point of view maintenance, what was once regulated (overhaul time, AWD compliance, overall aircraft condition) is now at the sole discression/responsibilty of the operator/owner. We now have on condition aircraft, owner maintained aircraft, and an ever increasing cost of maintaining an "airworthy" aircraft. My point is -how many accident are the results of aircraft systems not completely in satisfactory operating condition. Remember you only have to break one link in the chain of events.
At least the commercial guy's have some oversite to help guide them along the path, as imperfect as it may be, but I have a real worry about the safety of general aviation community as less and less attention is paid to that sector.
Interesting point about adding some altitude to the mins, go around early or like Doc says use the circling min only.
I was talking to one pilot the other day who told me his first instrument rating was signed out by TC as "CAP +200" Meaning he was not permitted to fly to the min alt on the plate but only to 200 above. At your next ride the inspector at his discretion could remove the +200 restriction
Doc/Cat have any of you guys ever heard of that before, its an interesting point. I would be interested to know if it was common and why they stopped.
Its certainly the other side of the coin from this poster
[quote=] You made a reference to "difficult" approaches -- and to consider circling minimums -- what does that mean -- I have never seen a "difficult" approach yet -- complex maybe but certainly not difficult and minimums are just that and if you can't safely fly to them you have no business holding an instrument rating [/quote]
I'm not advocating a return to +cap limits, access to better nav gear HSI/RMI/GPS better Auto pilots etc, has to be taken into account.
Doc wrote:Here we go again. Must be the season of the witch. We have an accident, and all the finger pointing starts. All the warm and fuzzy wishes give way to the inevitable questions. Some want to grieve. Others want to know what happened. Folks get down right ugly with each other. People are told to "shut up". Everybody blames somebody else. They blame the weather. They blame ice. They blame everybody but the guy who screwed up. Because, unless there is some failure, that's what happened. Somebody descended too low, too soon. Somebody departed with contaminated wings. Somebody didn't stop for fuel. Somebody pushed into a black hole. Then, we get a round of Transport Canada bashing. (I'm guilty of that one) More finger pointing. More on how nice a guy/girl the pilot was. How he/she would never do such a thing. Is it the training? Is it the chief pilot's fault? Then we collect the names for some sort of a "wall" somewhere?
All this goes on, and yet, we are really missing the bottom line. The "buzz" words and terms are not working. If anything, it get worse every year. Every year, the same mistakes are repeated. This year, somebody will take off in a Caravan with ice on the wings. It's happened the last two years. Why not this year? What's changed?
There is a minimum descent altitude on your approach plate. Read it. Do not go below that number.
There are approach bans. Adhere to them. They are there for a reason.
Put enough frikken fuel in your airplane to make the trip. The reserve is just that...a reserve. If your boss thinks you should use your reserve fuel for the flight, tell him to piss off. Do it.
If you fly into ice, and there is ANY doubt, turn around.
Your aircraft has a designed gross weight. Get to know it. Use it. It's a limitation.
If you are solo, make bloody sure your auto pilot works. Or, don't go.
If the weather is at limits, brief for the missed approach. Not the landing. The landing should be the surprise. Not the missed approach.
Don't let the Captain kill you.
When your co-pilot speaks...listen.
Stay away from hard approaches to limits at night. Circling limits only please. If your boss has a problem with this, have him call me.
Read the numbers on the runway.
Do not do intersection departures from northern strips.
Land and take off into wind.
If your aircraft has a snag, put it in the book.
The guys upstairs might not be the sharpest knives in the drawer, but you are the one that get to the accident site first. Transport Canada, SMS and all the politically correct bullshit ain't going to help you. YOU are on your own. Be careful out there.
I say, PAY ATTENTION!
That's it in a nutshell.
Forgive me Doc, but I had to highlight the best part.
As I am about to join the flying ranks of professional pilots in this country, I have printed this information you have posted and have it hanging on my wall so I will be reminded of it each time I walk out the door.
Thanks again!
An old skipper once told me he saw a TC systems safety sign at an airport that bore true for him. I think it went something like this:
LEARN FROM THE MISTAKES OF OTHERS BECAUSE YOU WONT LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO MAKE THEM ALL YOURSELF.
Captain_Canuck wrote:An old skipper once told me he saw a TC systems safety sign at an airport that bore true for him. I think it went something like this:
LEARN FROM THE MISTAKES OF OTHERS BECAUSE YOU WONT LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO MAKE THEM ALL YOURSELF.
I have never had the misfortune to fly for a dodgy Canadian operator.
When I got my CPL I had already been flying for 18 years and I did not continue my search for a job after what I saw...
I took a job at Dawson Creek with a dodgy operator who showed me the damaged cylinder he was about to put back on an Aztec... A broken valve had been smacked into the head several thousand times, he had reseated the new valves but would I rely on that cylinder? NBW!
Just get another cylinder for pete's sake, Dawson Creek in 1992 is not the same place as in 1892, you can get one in a day or two.
My mechanic/inspector's eyes looked at the wrecks he called commercial aeroplanes and I took the next bus back to Vancouver.
I went to North Vancouver Air... But at $6,000 for my PPC, I could not take the job for $12 a flying hour.
I think the state of commercial flying in Canada is slowly improving...
I see my job now as preparing pilots with the ability to fly to a higher standard with the tools and knowledge to make good decisions.
I will not train just to Transport Canada standards, I want the students to have higher abilities than that, it's the only compensation one can make for the lack of serviceability of a lot of the Canadian fleet.
I am not comfortable with the fact that many of my students will end up with dodgy operators out there.
Yes, I've made mistakes... Hopefully my experience benefits others.
Circling limits at night. That's pretty much aimed at northern operations with single pilots. Kind of like a Caravan on a dark night, after a long day, into a black hole. Give yourself some room for slight error. Most understood that it wouldn't apply to a 777 crew shooting a CAT II into ORD? It's all about cutting down on accidents. I can quote several night time accidents, single pilot, to back up the principal.
IF THE CHIEF PILOTS DID THE JOB THEY ARE APPROVED TO DO, AND NOT JUST BE A YES MAN FOR DODGEY OPERATORS A LOT OF THESE ACCIDENTS WOULD NOT HAPPEN.
One of the most under-addressed topics in aviation safety right there. A chief pilot should be a proper balance between line and management with the ability to know when it is appropriate to give on either side. They do not yet teach that in school, do they?
Many decades ago I felt there needed to be an association of chief pilots to ensure the industry complied to the rules and to ensure safety through proper training and oversight of crews.
I still think that way.
---------- ADS -----------
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
