External Variables Can Change a Pilot’s Decision-Making Processes

People watching is a bit different when the eyes are on you.

Friday, November 15, 2024 at 08:51 AM ET

Verified

FLYING contributor Ben Young says the decisions he makes as a pilot when I am alone versus when someone is watching are not the same, though both reflect a genuine part of myself. [Courtesy: Ben Younger]

Key Takeaways:

Pilot decision-making is significantly influenced by the awareness of being observed, often leading to behavior that differs from unobserved actions.
The author illustrates this with a personal incident where perceived social pressure from air traffic control led to a dangerously unstabilized approach and compromised airmanship.
External factors, including social pressure, fatigue, and a desire to please, can override a pilot's safety judgment, a challenge compounded by a common lack of self-awareness regarding hazardous attitudes.
Ultimately, while self-preservation should triumph over social pressure, consistently prioritizing safety regardless of external influence remains a complex and ongoing struggle for pilots.

See a mistake? Contact us.

I love people watching. I could sit in the park all day and just stare.

Might as well be at the zoo. Implicit in the activity is the understanding that the person being observed not be aware of the examination. It is believed that once someone knows eyes are on them, they act differently. The behavior exhibited is no longer genuine. I would argue that the behavior may be different, but it is no less real.

Ben Younger

Ben Younger is a TV and film writer/director, avid motorcyclist and surfer—but it’s being a pilot that he treats as a second profession. Find him on Instagram @thisisbenyounger.