CELL PHONE FIASCO Published July 2, 2007 By Anonymous Air Wing FIVE Naval Air Station, Milton, Fla. -- The following article was submitted anonymously to the commander of Training Air Wing FIVE at Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Milton, Fla. A student used an end of training critique to assert that the instructor had made a cell phone call while airborne in a T-34. The article below presents the instructor's side of the story. With relentless training and expert execution, Department of Defense aviators maintain the ability to put bombs on target, transport critical supplies to needing hands, and achieve aerial supremacy in each theater in which we operate. Yet, we still have unreasonable numbers of mishap aircraft and crews and offer up kudos for units who have mishap-free milestones. If we could only get rid of the time consuming and monotonous operational risk management and crew resource management type programs and just "train like we fight" and "fight like we train," we shouldn't have a need for such "corporateness" in our mature and professional military. ... Right? This isn't a rhetorical question; stop and think about the last crew resource management or operational risk management briefing you attended. How many times did you complain or think there was someplace better to be? How does a seemingly seasoned professional aviator with six years mission qualified experience and an equal number of aerial decorations end up compromising that good reputation? Perhaps I yawned one too many times during the last round of safety briefings. Maybe I got complacent or simply failed to exercise the same judgment I used to when performing operationally. A scenario similar to "get-home-itis" and the confidence of being with a "good student" led me into the writer's chair. Perhaps it's time to focus on "training like we fight." It seems as though we are more likely to lose lives and bend metal in training than in theater these days. So, there I was, a new but proficient primary training instructor on an end of block instrument hop. My student was performing to his usual above average ability as we neared the end of the first leg of an out and in flight. Having stepped to the aircraft later than planned, I began contemplating ways to adjust our stop-over and second leg to home base on planned timing and prior to field closure. I decided a shorter stop-over would be beneficial and thought to give the fixed base operator a call on VHF so there would be a minimal delay in getting fuel/service. Having just requested an opposite direction approach, I knew we were in for a series of long vectors to deconflict us with the arriving and departing traffic. I decided this was the time to give those on the ground an additional "heads up." I asked the student to monitor approach control on UHF closely as I was going to make a call. I selected the fixed base operator frequency in the VHF radio and reported 15 minutes out. I then spontaneously decided to give our transportation, a friend stationed nearby, a phone call to ensure he would meet us upon landing. With speaker selected on my cell phone, and with the hope he'd be able to hear over aircraft noise, I relayed (yelled) our estimated time of landing. Shortly thereafter, we found ourselves on an extended base leg and received clearance to execute the approach and circle to the landing runway in the predicted time. Not for weeks later, until it was brought to my attention in a student critique, did I give the flight another thought. With a Monday morning quarterback attitude, I found myself thinking about and reflecting on the series of events that materialized. Without intent, I violated Navy and Air Force instructions that specifically prohibit cellular telephone operation in Naval and Air Force aircraft. Worse than that, I placed a young, impressionable student aviator in a compromising position. With the student "under the hood" and not up VHF, he did not fully realize the actuality of the events that transpired. I commended him for his integrity and am comforted in knowing he will be an asset to the Naval aviation community. I, however, made myself a liability to my squadron and failed to demonstrate adherence to applicable regulations and sound, professional aviation judgment. So where do we go from here? I remember hearing a veteran pilot say the phrase, "There are those who have and those who will," with regard to aviation buffoonery. I'm skeptical of the pessimism. With proper education, whether it be safety briefs, resource/risk management training, or word of mouth, perhaps we can prevent others from making the same or similar mistakes. Those of us in training commands are obligated to perform at a high level and in a professional manner. The student aviators expect and deserve nothing less than honest, skillful, safe instructors who instill and exhibit sound judgment. I agree with the quote by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche: "That which does not kill us makes us stronger." Because after lengthy reflection, I have identified my mistakes and will be increasingly cognizant of my behavior and examples I set for students. It served as an opportunity to re-cage. Fly safe!