A Lesson From Crows

The old crow is getting slow.

The young crow is not.

Of what the young crow does not know

The old crow knows a lot.

I learned a new aviation slang word the other day. An old pilot called a young pilot a SNAP (Sensitive New Age Pilot). He complained that the young pilot wasn’t interested in, or simply rolled his eyes at, feedback from the old pilot. It appears that a generation gap has arisen among aviators.

Aviation has long benefitted from hangar talk. Pilots sit around in hangars, briefing rooms, or places of embibement telling stories of harrowing experiences or close encounters with disaster as a method for sharing the learning with anyone willing to listen. It is a time-honored tradition that has helped save many an aviator’s life, along with their passengers. With the advent of the information age, one would think that this tradition would simply take advantage of the new media outlets available and flourish, but it appears that isn’t happening. Even though the younger generation are willing to utilize the available media tools, many of the older generation are not. This has created a disconnect in the transfer of corporate wisdom and knowledge.

Additionally, technology has made the difficult tasks of flying (maintaining altitude and airspeed, managing difficult aircraft systems, navigating over long distances) less difficult. This reduction in workload has made some of the skills required by generations past no longer relevant. Older pilots complain about the lack of basic skills in the younger pilot and younger pilots complain about learning unnecessary skills. This ambivalence in the flight deck is counterproductive.

The older generation of pilots is hung up on the difficulties they experienced when they were coming up the ranks and often think that every new pilot should have to endure the same abusive treatment they did in order to achieve success in the cockpit. They harp on unnecessary and outdated skill sets that are no longer relevant until they come across as curmudgeons tilting at windmills. They cannot accept the changing application of technology to improve performance in the workplace and appear rigid and unable to adapt. Perhaps we should call them Old Crows.

At knowing things the old crow

Is still the young crow's master.

What does the slow old crow not know?

How to go faster.

The younger generation of pilots have been fed a steady diet of positive affirmations (everyone gets a trophy) and lack of enforceable standards (all you have to do is self-identify to become something), but neither of those will keep you from balling up an airplane on the side of a mountain because you lost situational awareness due to poor planning or sloppy execution. The hazards of aviation don’t care about your feelings or how you might self-identify. They care about your preparation, diligence, and skills. Additionally, young pilots seem more interested in the smart devices in their hands than the knowledgeable person sitting on the other side of the cockpit and often grouse when they are corrected. This has earned them the nickname of SNAPs.

The young crow flies above, below,

And rings around the slow old crow.

What does the fast young crow not know?

Where to go.

Even the FAA has recognized the growing rift and issued an Advisor Circular (regulatory guidance designed to solve a perceived problem). They will require all airlines and flight operations to establish leadership training and a mentorship program. They understand the importance of ensuring that the corporate knowledge and wisdom of the past is passed on to the up-and-coming generation of aviators. In short, they mandated the bridging of the gap through regulation. Regulation will force flight operations to address the issue, but it will not solve it.

So, how do we bridge the generation gap?

First, we recognize that building a bridge requires effort from both sides of the gap. The Old Crows have to accept that just because a SNAP approaches a problem differently, he isn’t wrong. The younger pilots will rely more on technology, but they will also be more likely to utilize all available resources to solve a problem. Before a SNAP dismisses the advice, she needs to remember that the Old Crow has successfully survived harrowing experiences that shaped his approach and have given him reason to be cautious. Instead of being at odds with one another, SNAPs and Old Crows should complement each other in the flight deck.

Years ago, I remember sitting in a debrief with an old instructor pilot whose entire debrief consisted of telling me that I was too #$%@ nice to be a fighter pilot. I sat there seething, wanting to get out of my chair and prove that he was wrong by pummeling him. I had to sit there and take it. It was a horrible teaching technique, but it caused me to grow thicker skin and be more assertive, two characteristics that have helped me be a better pilot. SNAPs need to develop thicker skin to the critical feedback from the Old Crows, and even though the delivery may not be optimal, something can be learned from the criticism that may save your life.

Old Crows aren’t smarter simply because they are older. They do have more experience, but sometimes that experience can be a hindrance when technology changes quickly. In the last ten years the modern cockpit has eliminated paper charts and replaced them with iPads. When the iPads were first installed, many of the Old Crows struggled to adapt. After all, many of them had spent over 30 years using the paper charts but very little time using touch screens and digital maps. The wise ones asked for help from the SNAPs with the new technology and were able to shorten the learning process. If Old Crows want to be successful leaders in the cockpit, they need to ask for help and feedback from the SNAPs and create an atmosphere of open communication.

Leadership does not require age, or even experience. It does require an attitude of action, a commitment to a vision, a desire to serve. It means utilizing the strengths of everyone on your team. Whether you are an Old Crow or a SNAP, be open to suggestion, criticism, and feedback. Recognize that age and experience can complement youth and energy on the flight deck, and in every organization.

Perhaps we should add a stanza to the John Ciardi poem to help us bridge the generation gap:

Each crow needs to know

The other crow can help

Them learn what they don’t know.

How to fly together.

?ABOUT CROWS

?The old crow is getting slow.

The young crow is not.

Of what the young crow does not know

The old crow knows a lot.

?

At knowing things the old crow

Is still the young crow's master.

What does the slow old crow not know?

How to go faster.

?

The young crow flies above, below,

And rings around the slow old crow.

What does the fast young crow not know?

Where to go.

? John Ciardi, 1961.