We all know That Guy. We have worked with him or around him, maybe flown with him, possibly instructed him, or had to jump in an aircraft or work on a job which That Guy just flew.
You know, That Guy. That Guy who is rigid and inflexible in his thinking, knows absolutely everything, and never listens to a single thing you say. That Guy who is sloppy in his procedures, his appearance, and his flying habits. That Guy who is outspoken about how his employer and customers fail to meet his expectations day after day. That Guy who is unsafe at any speed, disregarding established safety procedures and pressing on haphazardly at any cost in order to get the job done. Yeah, we all know That Guy. The problem is, what can we do about him?
The BAD news is that we really can’t do much to change That Guy. Apart from any major infractions that management is willing to deal with, That Guy will continue to behave in the same manner, often unto his own demise, and hopefully not taking anyone with him.
The WORSE news is that the helicopter pilot culture is largely made up of self-sufficient, Type A, mission-focused types who at one time or another will throw caution to the wind in order to get the job done. What I am suggesting is that if we are honest, we will all admit that each of us acts like That Guy from time to time.
The GOOD news is that we can all lift the reputation of the entire industry by following a few simple steps.
LISTEN. We can all learn a lot from others, some good and some bad. The younger and greener among us should respect the wisdom of their elders, who have been around long enough to see what works and what doesn’t. The older and wiser among us can be inspired by the energy, enthusiasm, and the fresh perspectives of the new blood. When we stop learning, we stop growing and start stagnating. Wherever you find yourself in this mix, seek to emulate those around you whom you respect, and never act like those whom you can’t stand.
SHUT UP. When is the last time anybody came up to you and asked “What do YOU think?” and then let you talk for hours? It is granted that on any given day, management may be idiots and the customer may be trying to kill you, but your endless lamentations will never make life any easier. Far better to fly it first and grieve it later, picking your battles and not dragging your feet along the way.
CLEAN UP YOUR ACT. People notice professional behavior, or the lack thereof. We owe it to our employers, our customers, and ourselves to present ourselves as professionals both in appearance and in procedures. Don’t obsess over minutia, but realize that in the final equation, you are paid to bring that helicopter back safely, no matter what goes wrong or whose fault it is. Prepare yourself accordingly for your next in-flight emergency or judgment call.
WAKE UP. Ask yourself several times a day if an accident board would take a favorable view of what you are doing RIGHT NOW. Ultimately, that is all that will count if something goes wrong. If nothing else, ask yourself what your buddies would say tomorrow morning if you burned one in today. Would they defend your decision making? Or would they say you had it coming?
That Guy may never straighten up, but if we all try a little harder and take ourselves and our jobs a little bit more seriously, things will get better across the board.
We all make mistakes, let’s make sure we live through the ones we’ll make today.
Fly safe!
