Originally Posted by
Boatbuilder
Calling what we do a “mission” is ridiculous. A “mission” typically has a critical goal. It’s a dangerous moniker to apply to a commercial flight as it will lead some to attach some inflated importance for its completion thereby raising the possibility of disregarding safety to “complete the mission”.
We don’t fly missions. We take Ma and Pa Kettle to visit the grandkids. While it’s important to get them there safely, comfortably and promptly it’s not critical.
And lastly I don’t remember taking an oath when I got hired.
Exactly. When we start thinking of flights as missions, we attach non-existent importance to them. We’ll waive the contract to do it. We’ll accept questionable MEL’s to do it. We may push through fatigue issues to get it done. Bottom line, as has been previously stated, we do NOT fly missions. The military mindset is completely inappropriate and often unsafe wrt civilian ops. Some just can’t let it go, however.