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Dave,
I think it's important to make a
distinction. I believe what the author of this article meant is that bad
judgement can get you in a situation that your training hasn't prepared you for,
not necessarily that training can't help prevent bad judgement.
I've posted on the list previously about
training. I'm not a CFI, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn express
last... just kidding! I have a degree in adult education just
so you know I'm not speaking off the cuff.
Most of us are familiar with cognitive
(what you know) and psychomotor (what you can do) flight
training. What most of us don't know is that our flight instructors
we're also training us in the affective (how you feel & what you
believe) arena as well, even if they didn't know they were doing it. Most
flight instructors limit their affective training to role modeling and "what if"
discussions because that's how they were taught. There other methods, but
most flight instructors aren't even aware of the affective arena, so
training in this area falls somewhat short. Affective training is
definitely more challenging, but it's definitely doable!
Here's a short excersice to help illustrate
what I'm talking about. Start by asking yourself a question and
answering honestly.
HAVE I EVER DONE SOMETHING IN MY AIRPLANE
THAT'S FRIGHTENED ME, AND WHAT DID I DO TO
PREVENT IT HAPPENING AGAIN?
Sometimes reading about others' accidents
doesn't generate any feelings because we feel it could never happen to us.
But, I would hazard a guess that most everyone that's been flying for any length
of time has gotten into a dangerous situation (for whatever reason) and scared
themselves. There are things that've happened to me (or better said, that
I've done/didn't do) that make my palms sweat just thinking about
them. The first part of this question is intended to stir up some
uncomfortable feelings and memories and get you in the "affective"
arena. This is where an instructor needs you to be to change
your attitudes.
The second part of the question does a
couple of things. First, for those that aren't used to critically thinking
about their flying, it gets you in the right "mood." It's one thing
to survive an incident, wipe your brow, and say, "Boy, I'll never do that
again!" It's quite another to sit down and critically analyze
a mistake (while reliving the feelings) to determine the thought
process that led to the decisions that got you into the situation in the first
place. This is truly at the heart of affective training, understanding why
you behaved as you did. Second, it helps you to see that considering a
situation ahead of time can help you deal with it, or prevent it. (It may
seem like a simple concept, but you'd be surprised how many people haven't
internalized the idea that if you don't take steps to avoid or
prevent mistakes you've made in the past, then you're doomed to repeat
them until you are dead.)
Once you're in the right
mood--analyzing your mistake while remembering those uncomfortable
feelings, then making a plan to avoid the same mistake in the
future--you're making a critical connection with your own experience
between judgement and result. At that point it becomes easier to make the
same connection with someone else's experiences.
Accident investigations, safety meetings,
hangar flying (that's what this list is if you didn't already know it), etc. are
all training in the affective arena. To get the most out them, get
yourself in the right mood!
BTW, if you've never been frightened in an
airplane because of something you did or didn't do, then you should seriously
consider your attitude. You're either the best pilot in the world or you
don't know when to be scared...
Mark & Lisa Sletten
Legacy FG N828LM
http://www.legacyfgbuilder.com
P.S. You're right, the article was very much worth the
read!
NO AMOUNT OF TRAINING CAN COMPENSATE FOR REALLY BAD JUDGMENT."
Dave Gilliam
PS this article is worth the read.
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