From this retired pilot’s perspective, albeit a bit biased, American Airlines is a class act. Why? For many reasons. But for the purpose of this discussion, the airline is a class act because of the caliber of its flight crews. From line pilots to check airmen to management pilots, safety is the primary focus and the focus of producing a quality product in the form of a well-trained flight crew. But, like all airlines, occasions arise where stumbling occurs. American Airlines stumbled. Big time. How?
The carrier introduced major standard operational procedure (SOP) revisions deemed “Fleet Harmonization.” What does that mean exactly? American Airlines operates a wide range of aircraft, with pilots transitioning to new equipment frequently because of the current attrition and hiring environment. Although each airplane has its procedural idiosyncrasies, many of the SOPs are generic and can be shared among all fleets. Other than the obvious aircraft systems differences, generic SOPs afford pilots an easier transition to a new airplane because they are already familiar with most of the procedures.
