Zero errors is an impossible goal. What we should work on is catching our errors early. This is from a book on High Reliability Organizations (HROs):
It’s an excellent book, a classic. The latest (2015) edition is on Amazon
Airport worker killed in “freak accident”
The Daily Express newspaper reports today that an airport worker was killed in a “freak accident.” He was sucked into a jet engine. Or as human factors professionals calls it, a “normal accident”.
An Air India official told The Hindustan Times:
At the moment, we are absolutely clueless on how this person was near the aircraft. Only an inquiry can establish whose negligence it was and whether the engine should have been switched on at that time.
Comforting to know the negligence witch-hunt has started. Someone must be at fault. Wonder if any management or regulatory people will get blamed for designing bad systems?
Be careful out there folks.
Harrison Ford talks (some) flying
“When the engine quit, my training had prepared me to deal with it in a way. I really didn’t get scared. I just got busy. I knew what I was going to do, and I knew how to do it.
The mantra aviators carry around in our heads is: Fly the airplane, first thing. Fly the airplane — even if it doesn’t have an engine, fly. Don’t give up that ship, matey. And even though I don’t remember the details of it, I guess I was able to do that, because the way I landed, the wings were level. I didn’t stall it. I’m here.”
Interview of Harrison Ford in Men’s Journal, Jan/Feb 2016, has some good flying stuff. Harrison is by all accounts, public and private, a solid aviator. He flies helicopters, and owns a Cessna Citation Sovereign, a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver, and a replica of a 1929 Waco biplane. Cool stuff.
“I love the machinery. I love the process. I love the ritual — there’s a protocol to follow that keeps you safe, the checklists and so on. There’s a combination of freedom and responsibility, especially when you start carrying passengers.”
1955 safety film: What’s changed and what’s not
Youtube has a great AOPA safety film for GA pilots called The Flight Decision. It’s a little dated. Like sixty years dated. (Yep, 1955.)
It’s fun to see what has changed—and what has not. Flight line fashion has changed. But the planes in this film (remember film?) are probably still flying. Some of the safety stuff is simplistic. But many of the human issues we are still trying to solve today.
Take a look, and share what you think about sixty years of change.
How to be a champion pilot, by a champion pilot
Kirby is five time US National Aerobatic Champion and two time Red Bull Air Race World Champion. His website is www.teamchambliss.com