I agree that leadership by example can be a valuable tool in the early stages
of training to develop the mindset that it IS acceptable to call "knock it
off" when life's stresses might make you a less effective crew member. Other
crew members who observe a willingness to self-assess will be more comfortable
making the same call in the future.
Within the last month, I have observed Air Force student pilots attempting to
fly training sorties when serious domestic legal action was being filed
against one student and when the father of another student, only visiting for
the weekend, ended up in the local emergency room with a heart problem. By
assuring students that it is perfectly acceptable to make known their
concerns, and that no repercussion will occur, I believe it fosters an
environment that encourages honest self-assessment.
Mission impact must be the biggest reason crew members don't come forward.
When a person decides that they should not fly on a given day, the institution
should be able to say that, in the interest of safety, the correct decision
was made. Unfortunately, the ground-born stresses of flight cancellations or
delays, mission completion and training timelines seem to pull us in the
opposite direction.
Have a nice weekend!
Teri Poulton-Consoldane
Capt, USAF
T-1A Instructor Pilot
Vance AFB, OK