Some points I wish to make.
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So great to hear from Mr. Paul Bertorelli. You are the reason I started reading AVweb. You used to make me laugh. Not today though.
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DEI as an ethical principal, is without question the core of our cultural American identity. After all, it’s in the first sentence of the second paragraph of the declaration of independence. As a practical policy of government, it is an abject failure and a mere political football.
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As an LT-LT-IR-PP and aviation fanatic, I love to read the comments from so many highly intelligent, highly experienced and highly competent aviation professionals. Men and women who understand the true nature of what it means to take a man-made machine operated by a man-made man (or woman) into an environment where the margin of error is so slim for ensuring a safe flight outcome, it’s almost nonexistent. Put simply, it takes _ _lls. To state that recruiting and training should be based on merit only, is a laudable (admirable) and a logical goal. But imagine it’s YOUR job to choose who has merit and will be hired and trained. You must overcome unconscious bias, cultural bias (both societal and corporate), and your own preconceived conscious biases (you are a professional after all). Not so simple huh? Your choices could affect or even cause an outcome not unlike this tragic event if you choose wrong. As someone who has had some experience of hiring, training and managing people I would say, NO. If there is any logic or reason that goes into hiring, training and managing people to perform a job so illogical and unreasonable as aviator, it’s probably a small percentage. IMHO
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I wish to thank all the military pilots, controllers and technicians (both current and former) who may read this, for your service. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Including the three who tragically lost their lives, training to keep our country safe and free.