In an airplane, surely cheap thrills are better than costly thrills—but, frankly, a safer atmosphere in the cockpit may be boring thrills. Boredom in an airplane is good.
Leaving the Controls Locked on Takeoff
Key Takeaways:
- The article recounts a harrowing 1978 ferry flight during the pre-Crew Resource Management (CRM) era, where a junior copilot faced critical safety oversights from an experienced but complacent captain.
- During takeoff, the captain attempted to fly with locked controls and subsequently failed to remove the landing gear pins, leading to two near-disasters that were only barely averted.
- The author reflects on the experience as a stark lesson in the dangers of the "captain as God" cockpit culture and the vital importance of independent judgment and assertiveness for all crew members.
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