• FIT TO FLY — Cognitive Training for Pilots, by Doug Edwards

There are two kinds of pilots, they used to say: those who have already landed with the gear up, and those who will probably do so tomorrow. Several generations of air accident investigators have successively used differing names for the same phenomenon, the commonest being the "it-can't-happen-to-me" syndrome.

It's certainly true that (apart from premeditated self-destruction) no true air accident was ever anticipated by the pilot. Yet one can easily think of a dozen from personal knowledge, which in retrospect, just had to happen. The terrifying aspect is that in most cases, at least someone, in some cases the pilot involved, in others an associate or friend, knew enough to be aware there was an underlying problem.

Doug Edwards - a former Air Force fighter pilot, flying instructor, safety officer and aircraft

accident investigator - uses the more modern term ’denial’, in his must-read book, Fit To Fly. He develops the concept of ’cognitive fitness’ - as distinct from the physical fitness which every pilot recognises as important‹and its essential role in the makeup of a competent and professional pilot. He stresses that the book is not suitable as a reference in classroom learning, but is designed as a private reference to promote introspection and self-development. It works.

It's sad but factual that almost since aeroplanes first flew, there have been people flying them who would better have chosen another career path. Edwards, repeating the often-quoted 70% of air accidents that are attributable to human factors, points out that if that figure stays static while the amount of flying increases at forecast rates, a major air accident will be on the front pages once a fortnight by 2000. That's when the industry will cease to grow, because air travellers base their decisions on numbers, not on percentage statistics. Edwards, to our mind accurately, predicts that current events are on track to force the aviation industry to become more self-regulatory. He also accurately comments that only then, can flying truly be called a ‘profession’, because that is the true definition of the word.

So something has to be done. And like all problems, identifying it is the first and major step

towards solving it. It's not a question of purging the industry of people who ’don't fit in’, because there's at least a bit of denial in all of us. It is a question of honest self-examination. at both industry and personal level. Haven't you, either as a single pilot or as part of a crew, ever done something in the course of your flying that you later wished you hadn't done? That you wouldn't do again? If so, you're half way there, as Edwards emphasises: ‘High denial people will make perfectly satisfactory pilots if they have learned to deal with those aspects of their character. Indeed, there are many out there who have done that.’ Good thing, too, or we'd have run out of pilots long ago.

• FIT TO FLY — Cognitive Training for Pilots, by Doug Edwards

Possibly one of the more interesting books concerning pilot training Fit to Fly throws conventional ideas out the window and begs the question of why hasn't someone thought of this before?

With the subtitles of 'Cognitive training for pilots' and 'Practical air safety controlling stress

in extreme conditions', Fit to Fly looks at stress, fear and denial as causes of accidents and the way pilots respond to these in flight as well as in everyday situations.

The author has a wealth of experience having a background as a former RAAF instructor, safety officer and aircraft accident investigator which adds to the relevance of this book for professional pilots.

One positive aspect of this book is the way in which information is presented. It is extremely easy to read and arguments are not pushed on the reader, rather the reader is free to agree or disagree readily. This actually helps the author with his view sometimes.

The author also pushes the point that aviation should become a profession (no argument there I'm sure). Currently pilots do not fall into this category as they do not control skill standards and qualifications as do other fields such as doctors or engineers. Instead the industry is regulated by a seemingly hated government body and pilots have little say in this matter. (Author note in 2006 – recent changes seem to be capable of reversing regulatory failings.)