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From: cfiaime@ihnp4.UUCP (Jeff Williams)
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: Pilot Proficiency Program
Message-ID: <800@ihnp4.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 9-Jun-85 17:54:56 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihnp4.800
Posted: Sun Jun  9 17:54:56 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 10-Jun-85 22:06:21 EDT
References: <799@ihnp4.UUCP> <3837@alice.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 30

> Jeff Williams made the following comment in another context:
> 
> 	4.  Annual participation in the Pilot Proficiency Program -
> 		the record speaks for itself as to the decrease in
> 		accidents for pilots who participate
> 
> While I don't doubt for an instant that participation in
> the Pilot Proficiency Program has a strong negative correlation
> to accident rates, that does not mean that there is a direct
> causal relationship!
> 
> Putting it differently: suppose we know that people who participate
> in PPP stay out of trouble.  Mightn't it be that the sort of
> person who participates in PPP is also the sort of person who
> knows enough not to do stupid things?
> 
> One must be very careful about trying to draw statistical
> conclusions about a self-selected sample.


I agree that the program may be a success because of the type of pilot
that participates.  What my argument is:  I don't want a pilot flying
for me that does not see the advantages to the PPP, and who does not 
see the need for annual refresher training.  As a company, I can
insist on "stacking the deck" in my favor by allowing only those
pilots who are demonstrably safety conscience fly for company business.

				jeff williams
				AT&T Bell Laboratories
				ihnp4!cfiaime