ADM is such a big topic at WVFC due to an accident that occurred recently with a club plane.
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20060828X01248&key=1. Well..it is a big topic anyway but this has shed a new light on it.
On one hand I TOTALLY understand the importance of discussing this but on the other hand find it hard to "control" someone's decision making aeronautical or otherwise. The information you gather as a pilot is only good if you use it. To be safe doesn't only mean you are current it means you must be proficient as well. To be safe encompasses so many subjects it is hard to begin to discuss it, safe for the fact that you just know it or don't.
As a student you know you instructor is a safe and thorough even though you may be only beginning your flying, it is a gut feeling. You can tell if some one is honest, knowledgeable, safe and professional. As an instructor you can tell you is going to be a dedicated safe student in short time.
I know of two people that passed away due to a serious lack of judgement. It was their ADM their very very bad ADM.
The first is when I was in NJ I flew with someone who was a licensed pilot and aircraft owner. She wanted someone to go flying with and hired me. There was no purpose for the flight just to see the sights in NJ, those flights are more often than not very easy, as pilots who like help in the cockpit often don't need it but are so safe they like it. This was NOT the case, first the airplane was very messy and disorganized - not a good sign. We take off and the flight was uneventful until we return to the home airport. The approach to landing was unorganized, in that each move seemed to be an afterthought. I felt that the outcome of the landing was in doubt and called for a go-around , she disagreed but eventually we went around and did a good landing. What is my point? My point is is there really a way of preventing this? Can people change their behavior ? Here is the NTSB report http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20050914X01457&key=1 http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief2.asp?ev_id=20050914X01457&ntsbno=NYC05FA140&akey=1
This story is awful too. The pilot was my first Chief Instructor and someone who really helped me as a new instructor. I cherish his handwritten notes on how he taught his lessons. His accident happened before the Holiday season and he left 2 children and a wife behind because of a huge - single - lapse in judgement.
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20051123X01882&key=1
Who among us has not made a mistake? It is so easy to read NTSB reports and think "I would NEVER do that", but they are regular people just like us who made a mistake. We have no choice but to learn from other's mistakes.
