“Learning to fly an airplane taught me a way of thinking, an approach to problem-solving that was applicable and effective. Pilots are very methodical and meticulous, and artists tend not to be.”
– American baseball player, Chris Carter
LAST week, the nation was plunged into mourning as news of a tragic event unfolded – two navy helicopters collided mid-air during a rehearsal for the Royal Malaysian Navy’s 90th Anniversary Parade and Armada Open Day.
The devastating incident claiming the lives of ten personnel occurred on Apr 23 at the Royal Malaysian Navy base in Lumut, Perak.
The ten personnel have been laid to rest with full Royal Malaysian Navy military honours as a final tribute.
Their respective burial ceremony was carried out according to Navy tradition.
When the incident happened, my husband switched into full investigative journalist mode, reaching out to his former flight instructors who used to be in the armed forces for additional insights into the incident.
The incident became a focal point of conversation among his peers from flying school and his colleagues in their work WhatsApp group.
He also dedicated considerable time to analysing and reanalysing the video footage capturing the event, meticulously dissecting each moment to discern what went awry.
Upon first viewing the video, a chill ran down my spine and my thoughts instinctively turned to the loved ones of the victims.
I cannot bring myself to watch it again, as the emotional weight of the tragedy was too overwhelming.
So, I could not understand why my husband was so fixated by the incident.
I must mention that he has a unique fascination with documentaries analysing airplane or helicopter crashes from the past.
Instead of watching movies or TV shows on Netflix, he would turn to these documentaries for his screen time.
After watching these documentaries, he would then proceed to give me a briefing or summary on what went wrong and present me with what the pilot or co-pilot should have done instead.
Do I remember those aviation insights and facts? Unfortunately no, but I do try my best to be engaging by asking follow up questions and hope I remember the crucial points for future use.
It took me awhile to finally understand that he watches these documentaries from an educational perspective.
While I am consumed by thoughts of the tragic loss experienced by the victims’ loved ones, for him, it is an opportunity to learn and enhance his own abilities and skills as a pilot.
Before becoming a pilot, my husband spent four years as a trainee aircraft maintenance engineer at the same local aviation company where he now works.
In some ways, it is reassuring for me to know that he possesses not only the skills to fly his aircraft but also a deep understanding of its technical and mechanical intricacies.
I admire the passion that he has for his job because it is not merely confined to when he is the cockpit, but in everything that he does.
In fact, sometimes I would find him doing mental flying and role-playing with himself talking to air traffic controller or checking his flying log book for fun.
This sheer dedication sometimes renders me puzzled because I personally prefer to mentally disconnect when I clock off from work.
Although I will always find his interest for tragic documentaries somewhat perplexing, I respect his passion for understanding the intricacies of aviation safety.
I do not think I will ever share his enthusiasm for watching these documentaries as they tend to evoke unnecessary anxieties about flying within me.
Instead of finding these documentaries informative or intriguing, I find myself feeling uneasy and apprehensive about the risks associated with air travel.
While I appreciate that my husband’s interest stems from a desire to enhance safety measures and learn from past incidents, I prefer to focus on the positive aspects of flying rather than dwelling on potential dangers.
Afterall, statistically speaking, travelling by air is generally considered safer than traveling by other modes of transportation such as cars, trains, or buses.
Airlines adhere to strict safety regulations, and aircraft are designed and maintained to high standards with pilots undergoing extensive training and following rigorous safety protocols.
While accidents do occur, they are relatively rare compared to the vast number of flights that take place every day.
