It happens each and every year, and it usually goes for three days, and in these days we are having to deal with a list of ‘problems’. Although they are all ’simulated’, the level of stress they create as you work on them is fairly high. And, you would probably agree with a statement that ‘STRESS is always STRESS, it is kinda ‘always real’
As a pilot plows through his or her career over the years gaining experience and ‘wisdom’, at some point on this path he (or she) is coming to realization that it is specifically ‘Mr. Stress’ who’s been (and still is) his worst enemy, - quite probably, it is the very last one of the REALLY SERIOUS ones, as long as ‘Mr.’ (or ‘Ms.’) Lack of Expertize (or ‘Experience’) already ‘parted a company’ once the pilot ‘had come out of age.
Recurrent training is normally followed by ‘PPC’, the ‘Pilot Proficiency Check’ and the latter is an annual affair required by Transport Canada,
to who the Canadian government delegated the authority to ‘make sure’ ‘So-and-So’ qualifies as a ‘competent person to fly the airplane commercially’. It’s not a definition, though, so, - don’t challenge me on this one
However, a set of standards and ‘metrics of performance’ outlined by Transport doesn’t say anything with regard to ‘martial skills’ the pilot is supposed to have for helping him fight the ‘undermining efforts on the part of ‘Mr. Stress’.
And nothing wrong with it, of course. Perhaps, it is too subtle (and too complicated, on the other hand) a matter to be a subject regulated by the Government agency.
Meanwhile, there’s a growing consensus in the industry that human factors’ associated events are the most common scenarios of incidents and accidents. And there’s also a growing understanding of the ‘Mr. Stress’ role and involvement in them.
So, the point of this ‘mini-essay’ is that all effort the aviation community undertakes in order to counter-act the negative effects the stress has on the crews’ performance during emergencies must be praised and recognized among the top priorities and objectives of the advanced training.
OK, fellow-pilots, let me tell you something: among other things that you do during your training, teach yourself not to startle, and let yourself go ‘hasty and panicky’ when the loud fire bell blows up - either in training, or in real:)
And let’s talk more about ‘Anti-stress training’.
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