Those gentlemen, for the most part, were professional, competent, and dearly
enjoyed what they did. Sure, there was CRM training. But CRM was practiced on
line. The Captains saw to it. They were far sighted enough to know that they
had to teach it to the junior guys like me. The 30+ year veterans taught me
the basics along with alot of the things that we use today. Those old dogs
were also willing to learn from their crews.
I think the CRM community should look at the issue of what it takes to become
a Captain. Have we, in the aviation community, overlooked the obvious when
promoting the team concept? Have we forgotten the quarterback? I remember the
word fear or afraid was used in the discussions on the AC's use of authority
in the cockpit. Captains are not gods. They are human and make mistakes. The
good ones know it. We should seek out some of these old dogs and maybe teach
ourselves in the process.
John Baker