When Pilots Break the Rules

When Pilots Break the Rules

Author: Aviation International News November 20, 2019 Duration: 24:11

It's an all-too human tendency, borne from our natural desire to find quicker solutions not only on the flight deck - but also in our daily lives. It's also something all pilots are likely guilty of, especially if you have thousands of hours as pilot in command. Today we explore why pilots choose to break the rules, and what can be done to overcome the natural desire to look for shortcuts, even when we fly.

Participants:

  • Michael Ott, director of government contracting and an international captain for Phoenix Air Group
  • Charlie Precourt, NASA astronaut, former F-15 test pilot and instructor chairman of the Citation Jet Pilots Association's Safety Committee
  • Rickey Smith, chief pilot at Phoenix Air Group
  • Tom Turner, CFII and Executive Director for the American Bonanza Society's Air Safety Foundation

There’s a story behind every landing, a decision in every cockpit, and a human element in every flight log. AIN's Tales from the Flight Deck, from Aviation International News, pulls back the curtain on those moments. This isn't about dry technical briefings or theoretical scenarios. Instead, each episode sits you in the jumpseat for candid, first-person narratives from pilots, controllers, and aviation professionals who have been there. You’ll hear the subtle tension in a voice recounting an unexpected weather encounter, the thoughtful pause before explaining a critical split-second choice, and the relief in sharing a lesson learned. The conversations are intimate and detailed, focusing on the real-world application of procedure and the nuanced judgment calls that define safety aloft. By prioritizing genuine experience over lecture, this podcast builds a profound understanding of aviation safety from the ground up. It’s for anyone fascinated by the realities of flight, whether you’re a seasoned aviator, an aspiring pilot, or simply someone who looks up at a passing airliner and wonders about the skill and stories inside. Tune in for a compelling, human-centered perspective that goes far beyond the headlines.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 34

AIN's Tales from the Flight Deck
Podcast Episodes
Otto's Pilots Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:46
A call for help from Washington, DC to Phoenix Air, based at a tiny airport in Cartersville, Georgia: Can you fly a medivac mission right away? The destination: North Korea. This is the first of a two-part episode on the…
Connecting Planes in Trouble with Ships at Sea [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:15
A World War II era bomber pressed into transoceanic service as a freighter is lost. It's night. The water below is frigid. Whether the crew survives depends on how close to a ship they can ditch their aircraft. Now, a ne…
Episode 19: Flight Deck Automation after Indonesia and Ethiopia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:06
After the Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia, the question is whether cockpit automation is working for pilots or pilots are working for the automation. We talk with the pilot of Qantas Flight 72, An Airb…
Flight Deck Extra - Do You See What I See [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:29
Listen as these aviation professionals discuss how critical it is to not just understand weather but to understand how to know the limits of weather depiction. As you will hear, that can vary depending on where you are s…
Into the Storm [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:25
What makes an otherwise safe pilot believe he or she can pick through the cells of a thunderstorm? In this episode, Wilson Khors and his copilot become so transfixed on making it through a tiny hole in a line of convecti…
Emergency Response [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:51
When an aircraft emergency situation strikes, as a pilot, how prepared will you be to deal with it? For both an experienced aviator with thousands of hours of stick time and a novice on the first solo flight, proper trai…
When it all Goes Sideways [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:37
Having reached their 43,000-foot cruise altitude, the crew of a corporate Citation XLS had their world almost literally turned upside down. Like a rogue wave far out at sea, clear air turbulence can come from nowhere, an…
Familiar Departure, Busted Altitude [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:50
After an unanticipated en route stop-over throws a curve to an experienced crew, they fall victim to an error of omission that could have been disastrous. Leaving Denver International Airport for their homeward leg, they…
One Turn of the Wrench Exposes SMS Flaws [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:07
While safety management systems (SMS) are powerful tools that are now seeing widespread adoption throughout the aviation industry, if not fully utilized and embraced from the top to bottom of an organization, and without…
Familiarity Breeds Complacency [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:33
Pilot complacency during preflight inspection nearly led to disaster on a brisk October day in 2008. As an experienced flight crew readying for a short repositioning hop on that crystal clear morning neglected one simple…