A mildly deep thought

jrh

jrh

Well-Known Member
This morning while taxiing out for departure, the tower controller asked me, "Cair 319, you have a full load today?"

Thinking it was a bit of an odd question, I replied, "Yes sir, as full as it gets. Nine with me on this leg."

He then came back with, "Roger, fly safe, my wife is one of them on board with you."

At the time, I kind of dismissed it as the small town tower controller's way of making conversation to keep from getting bored.

But as I climbed out, it struck me as a deep reminder. Not only were there nine individuals trusting me to keep them safe, but hundreds of others connected to them as well.

In the rush of airline operations, it's easy to forget how our "self loading cargo" is really quite precious. Not that I ever slack off, but there are times when I think of safety strictly in terms of, "Don't bend metal, keep the company and feds off my back, protect my career, if I make it so will they, etc."

This quick exchange with the tower controller reminded me of the real reason why following all that nonsense in the FARs, GOM, FOM, NPH, QRH, checklists, and operating limitations matter. It's a big responsibility to fly people around for a living.

Just sayin'.

Fly safe everyone!
 
Hear hear! Its a good way to think. I treat each and every flight like someone I love is riding along...because someone out there DOES love each and every passenger and crew member. Its our job to make sure that they make it home.
 
That was deep, but well said. Its easy to forget that the people back there, aren't the only ones relying on us to get them to their destinations safely.
 
There's also the headline risk. Killing people in the air or, perhaps worse, on the ground will make the news and negatively impact the reputation of your company. If you are corporate it may result in the shutdown of your flight department and associated job losses, massive lawsuits against the company etc.

This isn't a profession to be taken lightly. The cost of an accident in life and money are exceptionally high.
 
Very well said, JRH. That fact that I fly boxes around aside....very well said. I wish this post would get the attention your average "how fast can I get there" thread at the ATP forum will get, but it won't.
 
Good post James.

That tower controller there really likes to chat it up when it is slow...which is pretty much all of the time there. Haha.
 
jrh said:
This morning while taxiing out for departure, the tower controller asked me, "Cair 319, you have a full load today?"

Thinking it was a bit of an odd question, I replied, "Yes sir, as full as it gets. Nine with me on this leg."

He then came back with, "Roger, fly safe, my wife is one of them on board with you."

At the time, I kind of dismissed it as the small town tower controller's way of making conversation to keep from getting bored.

But as I climbed out, it struck me as a deep reminder. Not only were there nine individuals trusting me to keep them safe, but hundreds of others connected to them as well.

In the rush of airline operations, it's easy to forget how our "self loading cargo" is really quite precious. Not that I ever slack off, but there are times when I think of safety strictly in terms of, "Don't bend metal, keep the company and feds off my back, protect my career, if I make it so will they, etc."

This quick exchange with the tower controller reminded me of the real reason why following all that nonsense in the FARs, GOM, FOM, NPH, QRH, checklists, and operating limitations matter. It's a big responsibility to fly people around for a living.

Just sayin'.

Fly safe everyone!
Click to expand...

Absolutely, well said. Many of your comrades forget that very thing, both at Cape and elsewhere.
 
Very very well put.. I have had that same mildly deep thought.. We get them from point a to b and they trust us to do it safely.. And really in some ways it's a responsibility I like having
 
Somebody else came up with this however Ive stolen it.
My philosophy is and in order: Ass, Certificate, Job.

When I was a teenager learning to fly, which I knew it was going to be my career, a family friend who led an accident free career flying DC3's to 747's gave me the simplest advice in terms of safety.
"If you get there, so does your passengers."
 
Very well stated JRH.

I find this to be an interesting comparison . Just last week, via a new thread, we got to view the perspective of a young CFI in Florida wherein he stated something along these lines: "what fun is flying if you can't violate the FARs". Now we get to see the perspective of a more experienced and mature pilot.
 
When I was an FO there were only 3 reasons I felt it was warranted to question the Captain:
1. Is it going to get me killed?
2. Is it going to get me fired?
3. Is it going to make a lot of smoke?
 
As a CFI, when I was preparing to send a student solo, part of my "reality check" before I signed the paperwork was to determine the likelihood that I would end up making a phone call to the student's mother to explain what had happened and why I allowed her son/daughter to do it.
 
Great thought. One of my pet peeves is hearing a young pilot state what a "cake" job flying is or an old pilot who epitomizes complacency. They simply "don't know what they don't know" or have gotten too comfortable (to be fair, we've all been there to a certain degree). I really think your sentiments need to be incorporated into all aspects of flight training, from regionals to fortune 500 flight departments.

I never intended to be negative, but I always showed 121 new-hires crash scene photos of the Comair LEX crash. Not to insinuate wrong-doing by the crew, but to show how quickly things can go wrong. Striking images. The responsibility is huge.
 
When I flew pax for employers, they were my main concern (along with my crew) above any company policy, what any mx had to say, any gate agent, any controller, dispatch or anyone else. It was and is my call and my ass on the line. Doing a carpet dance later was the furthest thing on my mind. I made the decisions for whatever I deemed necessary to happen and followed through. If I decided that something was not safe or prudent, that was it. I could deal with the consequences later. Sadly, more of the Captain's authority has been eroded over the years, but that is a whole other subject. It is a a huge responsibility to have the lives of hundreds of pax in your hands and one that I never took lightly or for granted. I am as vigilant and concerned to this very day for my pax as I have always been. It's always been a serious business for me. Did I have fun? Did I enjoy myself? Hell yes and I still do. But part of being a professional, is understanding, dealing with and living up to the reality of your duties and what is expected of you and understanding that responsibility and carrying out those duties to the best of your abilities every single time that you sit in the seat. Every time.

I actually used to wonder who are these people? Where are they going in the end and what are they doing? What do they do for a living? Who is married? Do they have kids? All sorts of questions, in my mind. But one thing I did know, is that they depended on me and needed me to get them wherever in one piece and make the ride as comfortable, uneventful and stress free for them as possible. Everyone means something to someone and is loved by someone, somewhere. I took and still take a lot of pride in doing the best job that I can for them. Without them, I would have no job. So it was my aim to always be on my A game for them and in the end, for all the people they were connected to. And if there were kids, they always got an invite up to the cockpit, photos and whatever little goodies that I carried like those plastic wings or little flight certificates, key chains or whatever. I enjoyed that the most. How many pilots went on to become professional pilots that can still remember their first visit to the cockpit of a "big" plane. All of them.

Great post jrh!
 
During the first few days of new hire training at my new 121 gig a man that has had a very long aviation career came in to class and asked all of us "How many people do you know?" Everyone agreed that we probably really know well about 15 people at the minimum. he went on to tell us that if there's 50 people on an RJ and 15 people know them and love them you could potentially have an effect on about 850 lives every single time you take off. Doesn't matter if you fly 172s or 747s, you're affecting many, many more lives than just those on board.

I hope 40 years from now when I'm about to retire his speech to us about our responsibility is still crystal clear every time I get behind the controls.
 
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