At 05:59 PM 1/08/04 +0930, you wrote:
>
>On 31/07/2004, at 2:48 PM, Robert Hart wrote:
>
>>> Swift, efficient training tailored to the individual would be a good
>>> start.
>>
>> No-one would suggest that today's system is perfect, although I would
>> have to disagree with your current characterisation of instructors and
>> the instruction they provide.
>
>I'm guessing Mike hasn't visited a gliding club for a great many
>years now.
>
>Perhaps he's just out of date :-)
>
> - mark
I regularly visit a great many gliding clubs and competitions, probably
more than any of you people do, watch the flying operation, hear about the
incidents that almost became accidents and talk and correspond with glider
pilots all over the world of all experience levels.
I also know quite well a good fraction of the glider repairers in this
country so get to hear about the accidents that seem to be kept very quiet.
You only have to look at the accidents in this country to realise how poor
the instruction is. Why, even one of the instructors on this group rolled a
glider in ball on an outlanding not so long ago. Anyone ever hear why?
What really annoys me is the instructors, who having proved they cannot
properly fly a glider themselves then don't have the good grace to turn in
the rating and just fly solo(if indeed they actually like it) or leave if
they don't actually like flying gliders or at least paying for it themselves.
I recently spent an evening with a very experienced instructor and leading
light of a club who told me about the pilots he has been flying with who
are either solo or well into their training who don't know certain life
saving things like how to do the initial stages of a winch launch
properly(they were winch trained). When asked they say "nobody ever told me
that".
It is very easy to think that everything is rosy in the garden when
incidents and accidents aren't publicly reported or investigated.
Consider the following extracts:
However, despite all the above if there is so much doubt, it must be asked
- why make the change?
The only possible reason is because the improved safety outcomes make the
change necessary. The paradigm shift from a centralised mandatory rule set
to operator education and responsibility has been made in most safety
cultures around the world because it delivers substantially better safety
outcomes. It also minimises unnecessary and unjustified restriction on
individual freedom and the right to trade.
-----------------------------
In this context I believe the following should be taken into account.
When this change was first introduced into other industries, in most cases
the reaction of the responsible professionals was similar to that we now
see in the Australian aviation industry. In the case of the aviation
industry, airline pilots and air traffic controllers are (correctly) chosen
and trained to be conservative, risk averse, professionals. This very
selection and training now make this transition more difficult as we are
now saying to these people � �forget much of what you have been trained to
use, we now have a better approach�.
Further, the regulatory situation will change from that of imposition and
policing of a well defined specific rule set to an attempt to mandate
responsible actions. The former is obviously much easier to impose but the
evidence is now overwhelming that operator education and responsibility
produces better safety outcomes.
--------------
In conclusion, the above transition in safety culture from a rules based
system to risk management this is the choice we have. I believe that the
transition must be made. The following is perhaps simplistic but it does
embody the principle behind the change I believe in:
Mandatory rules make the regulator feel good but operator (pilot) education
and responsibility achieve good safety outcomes.
------------------------
The author was talking about the National Airspace System. I agree
wholeheartedly with his sentiments.
He was also non other than the GFA's Dr Robert Hall. It is a great pity he
doesn't push to adopt these principles in gliding. He might then not open
himself to charges of hypocrisy.
Mike
Borgelt Instruments - manufacturers of quality soaring instruments
phone Int'l + 61 746 355784
fax Int'l + 61 746 358796
cellphone Int'l + 61 428 355784
Int'l + 61 429 355784
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
website: www.borgeltinstruments.com
_______________________________________________
Aus-soaring mailing list
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
