Re: "Redefining Airmanship": June CRM/HF Bookstore Feature

John Wiley (jwiley_at_atl.mindspring.com)
Thu, 05 Jun 1997 10:15:54 -0400

At 02:33 PM 6/4/97 -0500, you wrote:
>John Wiley wrote:
>
>>I agree that the basic drive is not some desire to attain approval from some
>>authority or some individual but to *know* that one continues to make the
>>needles match up...the true aviator continually strives to meet the highest
>>tolerances.
>
>Well said, John. I have to wonder, however, about the tolerances we choose
>for ourselves. In terms of technical performance, these can be easy to
>find and quite clear. The soft elements of "airmanship" become more
>problematic. I suspect that most of us chose role models during our
>careers who embodied the "standard" of good airmanship. But what if we do
>a very good job of emulating a very bad role model, simply because nobody
>ever guided us toward a better alternative? Our career could be forever
>tarnished by the self-application of the wrong "airmanship" standard.
>
Neil, I have to remember a quote given to me and now I use it often, "even a
bad example serves a purpose". We are all composites of those who we have
flown with, the good and the bad. I believe before CRM, before definitions,
there were those aviators who we looked upon and said, "Damn... I will never
to that to anyone!" or "Hey, that guy really handled that problem great.. I
want to do it that way.."

The stick and rudder skills are hard targets and they offer no personal
tolerances. You either are or you are not on
airspeed/altitude/route/heading. The soft elements, as you term them, come
to those who realize the journey never ends and it is experience, not
getting some plaque or some certificate in CRM or "Good Capt Award" that is
the goal. Those who want to refine their skills, who want to improve their
skills, those who want to continue learning....those are the ones who will
set the example and they become the walking/talking/doing models of what the
classes are all about. They then demonstrate what the videos/work
books/seminars try to put forth and become the real tool for teaching.

I will close in mentioning a small anecdote... a F/O I recently flew with
came from another base. I thought, "This will be a good chance to see how
closely our procedures are adhered to... not only someone who I have not
flown with but someone from another base where attitudes are slightly
different.." The flight was enjoyable and we had a good time.. BUT (and this
is the heart of this story) the F/O commented on another Capt that I knew..
He said the guy was real tough to fly with... and from his description the
guy sounded like a true "boomerang". I know the pilot...and have heard the
tales before. But this F/O said, "I can tell you one thing.. I will NEVER do
things the way this guy does it.."

The examples are out there and in many cases, there are stark differences
between good and bad examples...

Wiley