On Sat, 09 Oct 2004 22:27:14 GMT, "C Kingsbury"
wrote in
.net::


"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
.. .

That argument begs the question: Who's subjective opinion determines
which PDs are reported and which are not? The current system (if it
requires _all_ PDs to be reported) is more objective.

Objective does not imply intelligent, or productive.

Perhaps, but it does imply impartial justice.

And you haven't answered the question. In the absence of an impartial
standard, who should be tasked with the subjective judgment?

In my view, the burden of proof should rest with the people who want to
change established practice.

If I understand you correctly, you're saying that if it cannot be
shown that enforcing _all_ PDs will result in a reduced annual
accident/incident rate, the tacit policy of 'no harm no foul" should
be retained. That seems reasonable, but wouldn't it require a test
period to assess the results?

They need to prove that the way things are being done today is
wrong AND that their changes will not cause other, more damaging effects.

It would seem reasonable that reporting errant pilots for remedial
training would result in fewer accidents/incidents, but who knows?

What "more damaging effects" do you envision?

Don't get me wrong. I'm not looking forward to more PDs being
reported. I'm just interested in enhancing safety.

As am I. This doesn't smell like it has anything to do with safety,

What other objective do think the policy change may have other than
safety? Do you think it's an airline ploy to reduce the number of GA
operations?

but that's just my opinion, and it's worth about as much as you're paying for
it.

I think you are looking at the subject from a more realistic viewpoint
and I from the more theoretical. If we don't attempt to strive for
the best that we are capable, we will certainly create an imperfect
system.

Imperfection is for certain.

Unfortunately, that's true, but failing to attempt our best is likely
to exacerbate the imperfection rather than mitigate it.

The real question is, how badly can we screw it up?

I get the feeling that you feel that ATC reporting _all_ PDs will
"screw it up," but for whom, the airlines, the military, GA, or all of
the above? It would be interesting to know which of those three
categories the test case Chip mentioned is a member.

When people start fixing things that aren't broken, you never know what
will happen.

Umm...