[at_a_remove]

Again, and continuing with the flight safety, all of it was an iterative process, learned the hard way. Flight safety rules did not emerge whole and unchanged with the Wright brothers. Every change was prompted by one or more incidents during which the current procedure was not appropriate.

What then?

Consider the current thread on the whole "toaster in the dishwasher" topic, during which someone related an incident wherein an entire server site was immersed in water but still functioning (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41251234). The site manager followed procedure (wait a while, not cut the power, perform risk assessment) and it resulted in total loss, but the poster wanted to "cut the power, pump the water out of the bunker ASAP and immediately clean the whole lot with pure water." Here we have a tension between procedure and results. Procedure ended up causing total site loss, which was completely avoidable.

Similarly, a current thread on an ER doctor not following the usual procedures during a mass casualty event was lauded. A choice had to be made. Here, results won.

I just like to know this sort of thing about a work culture in advance. Letter of the law versus the spirit of the law, and so on.

[pas]

How would you know? How would they know? Okay, sure you will have a hunch based on the answer, but it seems something that only experience can tell. (Okay, you can ask them about their experience.. and who know how forthcoming and honest and relevant their answer will be, right?)

[Retric]

Pilots aren’t limited by experience, they know a great deal about aircraft systems and the mechanics of flight. Procedure is incapable of handling every single edge case because the possibilities are endless.

So when do you deviate from procedure? When the edge case you’re in is well outside the scope of exit procedures which requires detailed understanding of the procedures and their justifications.

[ryandrake]

Pilots are also allowed to deviate from any procedure and even violate federal regs in the event of an emergency.

14 CFR § 91.3(b) In an in-flight emergency requiring immediate action, the pilot in command may deviate from any rule of this part to the extent required to meet that emergency.