“Our two greatest problems are gravity and paperwork. We can lick gravity, but sometimes the paperwork is overwhelming.” Werner von Braun Are you a paperless cockpit? Is that even a thing? Chuck Cook, fleet technology manager at JetBlue Airways, told the press this week Jepp has “allowed us to … achieve fully paperless operations.” But hold on a minute. Here’s some …
Aaron Rodgers Mindset
“It’s all about the challenge. Innovate and evolve and stay on top for a while. It can’t be Groundhog Day. I can’t be Bill Murray. I’d go as crazy as he did in that movie.” Aaron Rodgers, NFL Green Bay Packers quarterback. The Packers are 4-0 this season. He is the best quarterback in the NFL right now. And with …
Frog, Toad and Black Swan Checklists
Excellent article on checklist use – and when not to follow them. Quotes from Frog, Toad, and the black swan pilots of Qantas Flight 32. Written by a systems ergonomist/work psychologist with a real understanding of aviation issues. http://humanisticsystems.com/2015/10/01/toads-checklist/
Master Your Craft
I fly an airbus – but the sentiment is the same:
Tired Cathay Pacific Pilots
One of the hardest things to do as a pilot is to not go flying. To tell your boss, your passengers, or your brother-in-law that no, I’m not flying today. Because I’m tired. It’s macho to say “need a straw?” (So you can suck it up.) It pays more to fly more. And unless you are absolute worn-out, it’s a …
Do Something Beyond
Undertake something that is difficult; it will do you good. Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow. ~ Ronald E. Osborn, and not, as is often seen, Ralph Waldo Emerson
Am I a Good Pilot?
I think I’m a good pilot. Above average, anyway. For sure. Over 17,000 hours, 5 type ratings, published scientific research into pilot behavior, on and on. I work at it, every flight. Well, most every flight. But a paper recently published in Psychological Science: Journal of the Association for Psychological Science (I’m not a nerd, but I am a subscriber) …
Flight Controls Free and Correct?
You have a religion that says if I want to live, I’m going to run the checklist. Robert Hulse Last week the NTSB released lots of details on a fatal accident that will keep lawyers and human factors academics busy for years. It involves rich high-profile (newspaper publisher) passengers, an iconic Gulfstream IV jet, the failure of a basic airplane …
It’s Not About Split-Second Skills
You never know when it will happen. It could be your first solo. It could be after 42 years of flying. As Captain Gann titled a book: Fate is the Hunter. Best be ready. BA Captain Chris Henkey was. The press has praised his ‘split-second’ skills in aborting the takeoff on the runway. But I think the more praiseworthy airmanship …
