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Let's talk about crew briefs. Specifically the opener. The decision whether or not the crew is prepared and capable of conducting the mission today.
It's called different things depending on the branch. Some call it IMSAFE, some call it the Crewcheck, some just have it in the checklist and it doesnt have a special name. But its functionally the same. A dummy check for each crewmember to honestly asses if they are ready.
Did you go on too much of a bender last night? Did leg day two days ago and cant actually get in the aircraft? Just realized that you got your flu shot and therefore cant fly for 24 hours? Now's the time to fess up.
Or maybe you and your spouse got in a big argument. Your kid(s) are sick. Your cousin stole the family car and crashed it. Whatever life thing that is making this flight not the priority in your life needs to be brought to the attention of the crew.i
In any case, it's up to the individual to determine whether they are capable of performing their crew duties to accomplish the mission at that time. If they cant, then we either find someone who can to replace them or we scrub the mission.
Obviously aviation is a service oriented organization. So dropping a mission is the last thing we want to do. There is a common saying "Is the juice with the squeeze?" We can flex and shuffle and make it work up to a point. As long as the goal is deemed worthy.
So will we jump aircraft for maintenance, swap two crewmembers, and launch a mission requiring O6 approval for a medevac or hot exfil? You bet your ass.
Will we do it for a training mission?
Will we do it for a training mission?
This isnt entirely codified in rules, so generally it's a culture thing. Which means it relies on senior aviators teaching the juniors how much risk to accept and for which missions. With that comes examples of when you need to take a knee instead of launchingt.
The technique I like was stolen (like all my good ideas) from a senior aviator. You get three strikes.
Someone showed at the wrong time? One strike.
Jumping aircraft or having to change the mission because apiece of equipment is broken? One strike
You hit three?
Someone showed at the wrong time? One strike.
Jumping aircraft or having to change the mission because apiece of equipment is broken? One strike
You hit three?
A lot of new crewmembers (and occasionally senior members who drank a little too much Kool Aid) have this idea that the mission ALWAYS comes first.
They dont want to be seen as weak, or a complainer, or think that somehow this is all tracked and they will get blackballed.
Obviously this speaks to the command culture. But I've never found that to be the case. Dont abuse it, obviously. But, if it's not safe, legal or prudent
Obviously this speaks to the command culture. But I've never found that to be the case. Dont abuse it, obviously. But, if it's not safe, legal or prudent
The last note I'll make is this. Interpersonal reasons are just as valid. If you cannot seem to function in the air without it becoming a hostile work environment. Then dont leave the ground with them.
I was on a crew with a christian fundamentalist pilot flying with a proud LGBTQ crewdog. And everyone wanted them to shut up so badly we kept saying "sterile cockpit" (nothing non flight related discussed, kinda a last resort for hostile cockpit)
After that we made sure they were never scheduled together again. And if they were we ensured that one of them would bow out of that flight. Y
You may never find yourself on an aircrew. But it's a valuable skill to look at a set of circumstances, resources, and personnel and decide that the juice is not, in fact, worth the squeeze.
