
1. The calm, collected reaction of the aircrew comes from a disciplined, checklist culture that doesn’t just happen on its own or overnight. The checklists covered the basics of engine failure, rapid depressurization, and structural damage. The confidence and efficiency provided by the checklists freed the minds of the pilot team to creatively deal with all the unforeseeable details, especially the human component.
2. Cognitive bias causes us to vastly overestimate the risk of events that are dramatic and visible. Though terrible for the deceased mother, it’s extremely rare for a jet engine to disintegrate and throw debris that injures a person. On the other hand, 500 people died & 39,000 were injured in a 4-year period on US roads simply due to debris in the road.
3. Ignorance leads to panic. Aircraft are designed for safety-the engine hangs from a pylon under the wing, which keeps the plane safe even with a raging engine fire. The procedure for depressurization is to immediately descend, which some passengers took as the aircraft “going down.” Knowledge leads to calmness.
We deal with life more easily when we practice disciplined mindfulness, recognize our biases, and continually seek knowledge. https://www.softpowerskills.com/