A Successful Crash

The latest post over at Cockpit Conversation resonates with some recent events in my flying, and around Eastern Ontario.

During a recent stop over I was showing off the airplane to a youngster. His mother asked me if we wore parachutes. She was a bit nonplussed that my answer was no, it would be too difficult to get everyone out, and that most people wouldn't have the training to use a parachute safely; instead pilots are trained how to land safely in fields in case of emergencies.

Of course we must understand the lay persons attitudes when I pilot puts this training to use, executing what would seem to be a very successful emergency landing that ends up being described as a "soft crash". There was also a great deal of coverage on a First Air 737 completing an emergency landing after having difficulty with flaps.

Perhaps all this coming so soon after a runway overrun at Ottawa has sensitized the press. It would have been nice to see some reporting that indicated that at least two of these occurrences were normal and perhaps the best possible outcomes from mechanical difficulties. I guess I'm just wondering why the press are so quick to point out human error when it is the cause of an aviation mishap, but seem so reluctant to point out when humans, following correct procedures and training, snatch safety from the jaws of danger.