Sunday, August 30, 2009

Tragedy on the Hudson

I thought long and hard before I decided to blog about this tragedy. To all that lost friends and family my heart goes out to you.

Visual Flight Rules. It's a simple premise, see and be seen. Look left, check left, then turn left. The bottom line is, a pilot under visual flight rules must stay vigilant even when receiving VFR flight following. Many factors add to the complacency that can occur in aviation. Excess traffic calls, false low altitude alerts on radar, conflict alerts on radar when traffic is not a factor, relying on technology instead of flying the aircraft or working Air traffic.

In the late eighties the B737 had a phenomenon called total rudder deflection. Between the speeds of 180-190 knots this deflection could not be corrected by aileron or rudder pedal. Many lives were lost because of humans relying on technology. Many pilots in twin training would have realized the quick fix was cut power to the engine that would counter the rudder yaw. Having their hands on the controls and feeling the aircraft, instead of on autopilot, may have changed this tragic series of events.

The bottom line is, there is no substitute for the human interaction in aviation. No amount of technology will make aviation safer without including human interaction in the mix. Not Nextgen, TCAS, RADAR, VFR flight following, Autopilot, Glass cockpit, GPS, etc., can take the place of see and be seen.

I blame the system for the inherent lack of respect for one simple trait,EXPERIENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Ask the passengers on Sullies Aircraft what they think about experience!)

The FAA tried to be a regulatory Agency that would run like a business, with customers. Well, we have seen how well that has worked. A regulatory Agency must do just that, regulate. It cannot have customers.

Now it seems public opinion is looking for someone to blame for this tragedy.
Controllers are tasked with multiple responsibilities all the time. Controllers take pride in the fact they can multitask with the best of them. Millions of times in my career controllers have had to talk to aircraft, answer phones, coordinate with other facilities, and perform clerical duties, with no tragic outcome.It has come to be expected of us by our employer.

We have told the FAA it is unsafe to have one person on duty. Our cries fell on deaf ears. I urge you to contact your Congress person and tell them don't let the FAA compromise you and your families safety. There can be no price tag put on safety. Human life does not have a finite price. Who has the right to decide that 1.4 million is acceptable compensation for loss of life? No Agency, No Government, No individual, No CEO. There is no acceptable price for the loss of life in aviation.

Many tragedies are caused by a series or chain of events. One event or all but one event can occur without loss of life. But when the complete chain of events occurs then a tragic outcome is almost always likely.

We have had a mass exodus of experience in the Air Traffic world in the last three years. It will take the Agency at least 8-10 years to stop the bleeding from this loss of experience.The FAA has taken the stakeholders out of the decision making process for the future of Air Traffic.

So I urge every member of the aviation community to be extra vigilant over the next decade. We must accept nothing less than the safe, orderly flow of aviation in our great country. United in safety is the only way to create a safer environment. We cannot let corporate greed or the "good ole boy network" of acquisition and contracting to continue!!!!!!!!!!



If you think that technology can take the place of good operating procedures and experience, then my friends you are sadly mistaken.

Angry Fokker

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