old farts
Gerry Joering (Gerry_Joering_at_CompuServe.COM)
Wed, 5 Nov 1997 02:33:58 -0500
When CRM first started it was concerned with assertiveness of subordinate
crew members. The underlying assumption was that the captain was a pompus
tyrant. If only the first officer and second officer would verbilze their
concerns there would be no accidents. From there we "advanced" to AQP
which expects each flight deck person to have appropriate "knowledge,
skills, and attitudes". More recently we have discussed the need for on
going education and the learning organization and the new paridgim of an
operational environment. When I reflect on where we are now I can see that
our training is aimed squarely at the more junior pilot. Now that I am one
of the old farts, I wonder if the training is really meaningful for the
more senior person. The perceived return on educational effort in my 50's
has to be rather small. Why should I start another masters program that I
might finish with just a few years of service left? Are we focussing on
the future at the expense of the present? If the captain sets the tone and
is the decision maker, should we not address more fully the role of the
senior pilot? Should we have programs beyond CRM to provide education for
the senior pilot who may have only a few years of service left but in the
mean time has tremendous influence on the culture of the organization? How
do we keep people mentally engaged in the twilight of their careers?
Gerry