Have you ever...?
- Thread starter adreamer
- Start date
C150J
Well-Known Member
It really depends on the situation. It's like asking, "Does sending the "send error report" button help Microsoft Windows resolve its issues?" Aircraft manufacturers will SOMETIMES see a decrease in dispatch reliability and improve its product to combat such poor performance. In addtion, certain operators will not fix squawks that are never written up. It's all about accountability... humans sometimes tend to chose the path of least resistance, so institutionalizing accountability through paperwork helps us all be better than that. Is it ridiculous sometimes? YES. It it helpful sometimes? YES.
J.
PeanuckleCRJ
Poodle Wrangler
Realms09
Well-Known Member
I understand your point J. Here is my meaning elaborated:
Once upon a time I worked as a grunt in over-the-phone technical support for XYZ software or hardware product. Many of the grunts were hired just for the season and had essentially no training on the product in question. (We've all had a frustrated conversation with one of these guys). On top of the ground level, however, there were MULTIPLE layers of quality control reviewers (your conversation may be recorded...).
What's the point?
We have a fixed set of reources to devote to air transportation and bureaucracy isn't free. Costs are entailed not only through the direct budget of the FAA, but also the costs the airlines must pass on to their customers as a result of FAA policies (which can go beyond the ticket price - time cost as well). Some of those costs are warranted, but some of those policies in some situations might be quite silly and all around inappropriate. I would rather work in a system that employs people who have the wisdom to know when the paperwork is ridiculous and when it is worthwhile, gives them the freedom to exercise that wisdom, and compensates them for the responsibility that freedom entails. Maybe we should spend our limited resources on getting the best decision makers we can in the pilot's seat rather than on paying paper enforcers to lop pilot's heads off for insignificant infractions.
Once upon a time I worked as a grunt in over-the-phone technical support for XYZ software or hardware product. Many of the grunts were hired just for the season and had essentially no training on the product in question. (We've all had a frustrated conversation with one of these guys). On top of the ground level, however, there were MULTIPLE layers of quality control reviewers (your conversation may be recorded...).
What's the point?
We have a fixed set of reources to devote to air transportation and bureaucracy isn't free. Costs are entailed not only through the direct budget of the FAA, but also the costs the airlines must pass on to their customers as a result of FAA policies (which can go beyond the ticket price - time cost as well). Some of those costs are warranted, but some of those policies in some situations might be quite silly and all around inappropriate. I would rather work in a system that employs people who have the wisdom to know when the paperwork is ridiculous and when it is worthwhile, gives them the freedom to exercise that wisdom, and compensates them for the responsibility that freedom entails. Maybe we should spend our limited resources on getting the best decision makers we can in the pilot's seat rather than on paying paper enforcers to lop pilot's heads off for insignificant infractions.
FlyChicaga
Vintage Restoration
That depends. Realistically, the best reason for always writing up even minor occurrences is so that it creates trends. If you find that the left outboard landing light in aircraft 590 is going out twice a week, there might be more to the issue than "light burned out."
We had an aircraft last week that had an issue with the stall protection system. The mechanic troubleshooting decided to replace one of the AOA vanes, to no avail. I pulled out the logbook and showed him that the stall protection computer had been replaced two days prior. He decided to try and replace it again. Voila, problem solved. Bad computer.
Not only does writing things up help us on the line to properly troubleshoot, but it also could help the NTSB in an accident investigation.
It has nothing to do with being a paper-pusher.
C150J
Well-Known Member
This I totally agree with. I will say, however, that being an airline pilot entails less B.S. than any other jobs I've ever had or researched. Scrutiny? Yes. Armchair quarterbacking? Sometimes. But bureaucratic nonsense? Generally NOT to the point where you want to scream. I will qualify that statement with the fact that every policy the TSA has instated makes absolutely no sense and is a complete waste of our time (I'm specifically referring to FFOD security sweeps).
Realms09
Well-Known Member
Refreshing to read!
Recently I was flying back from an engineering testing trip and had in my possession bore micrometers. Micrometers are essentially small, blunt steel rods for precision measurement (elaborate rulers). One of them was 7 inches long and deemed safe. The other was 8 inches long and deemed a hazard to flight. I could do far more damage with my pen.
Realms09
Well-Known Member
A good point.
Copperhed51
Well-Known Member
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SpiraMirabilis
Possible Subversive
CRJ is dark cockpit philosophy so all of the lights you never see are all the ones you always want to work.