As with many things qualified people are not willing to spend the time and go in front of the media and answer really, really stupid questions. I shy away from the media usually and media-h0ares like Dr. Oz (yes he is a real doctor) are held in low regard by the medical community. Thus, the only people left are hacks.

We're saying similar things, but I'd leave it at "you're wrong." It is a subtle point I'm making, but an engineer who designed the A320 FBW system may know more about failure modes than a 10,000 hour captain might. So it may be reasonable to have a non-pilot on a show.

Similarly a physicist or biologist may know more about certain aspects of heart pathology than a surgeon. It is hubris to dismiss somebody because "they're not a pilot" or "they're not a doctor." He's wrong, flat out, no matter who he is.

His resume is actually interesting and somewhat impressive as others have pointed out. However, he did not do his research, so despite this "expertise," spouting out opinions that are not backed by data is ludicrous.

An old coot 30,000 hour captain who is senile could be just as misinformed. Appeal to "authority" can have its own problems. That's just the point I'm making, not too big a deal.

Amen to brother Carl and Deacon Newk. :D

Very true, and spot on target once again.

Had he wanted to make the simple point that pilots are human too, he could have gone about it in a much different manner than he chose while coming to the exact same conclusion AND not project a bunch of his own mentality off onto others.

Here's the editor's note at the top of the piece...

...and yet he wrote the entire thing in the third person, using "they" instead of "we".

Even MORE ACCURATE would have been the use of the first person, "I", making it clear these were HIS own thoughts and mentalities instead of projecting his crap off onto a whole profession.

For example, here's Mr. Expert on a professional pilot's mentality....

What he should've written was

In point of fact, all this piece really does is give the reader an excellent insight into Peter Garrison's mentality, not that of a professional pilot's.

THIS is the mindset of a professional pilot...

One doesn't have to be paid to fly to have a professional pilot's mindset, but no one is a professional pilot without it.

And such a person...like Peter Garrison...sure as hell isn't someone any responsible publication should be telling the public is an expert on the matter, much less publishing his dreck.

Another fraud claiming to have Airbus experience and contributes to media ignorance is Robert P. Mark of jetwhine.com.

Claims to have left seat A380 experience when he does not hold a type rating.

To quote author Stephen King," the glory of a good tale is that it is fluid and limitless- it means individual things to the individual reader."

My frame of reference is that I've been published in AOPA, the USAF Air Mobility Forum, Professional Pilot, Twin and Turbine, Avweb, and Aerosafety World (also a couple times in non-aviation magazines - I'm a specialist on a certain breed of dog).

It's an opinion piece and it's doing exactly what it was designed to do - generate buzz and dialogue.

PG has done some great work and written some great pieces over the years and to paraphrase a statement I heard from an editor - never judge a person on their worst day. Judge the piece yes; but personal attacks are unfounded.

Full disclosure - I'm a 320 pilot at B6, also typed in the CL 65, Challenger 604, and G-IV.

I don't agree with the author's premise, but calling for the pitchforks and hot oil may be a bit over the top.

Also, the editor has culpability. The title of my work is changed nearly 90% of the time. It sometimes slants it in a direction I didn't intend it to go.

He didn't do his research because his opinions were already formed. He just needed an opportunity which would allow him to spew his garbage with impunity, and germanwings was it! Kick the man when he's down.

I agree with others who suspect the guy got turned down by one or more airlines.

Speaking as a part time scribe myself I'm willing to cut PG a wee bit of slack, if you read over his oeuvre, his whole body of work from the 1970's till now you will find he is a dedicated and gifted aviator who designed and built from the ground up his own airplane then flew the same across both the Atlantic, and the Pacific in the pre GPS era. He has had a successful career as both a writer and an engineer, given flesh to his dreams, this last piece may not be a point of view I agree with but I'm not going to organize a lynch mob either.

No problem
I will organize it

Well, thank GOD that he is a writer and not a Professional Pilot. Somebody could've got hurt!

Maybe this guy should team up with that dude who wrote the article about pilots taking selfies a few months ago...