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...

 P.S.  You're right, the article was very much worth the read!