Surviving a long flying career requires attention to details and the ability to follow a complex set of “rules” along the way.  Most of those rules made sense to me, but one in particular did not.

All airlines have a Flight Operations Policy Manual.  It’s required by the FAA, and gives pilots specific directions about how they are expected to operate the aircraft under their control.  TWA was no exception.  However, we were always taught that while the procedures dictated in our Policy Manual and Flight Handbook specific to the aircraft we were flying should routinely be followed, there were times when the “book” must be thrown out the window, so to speak, and whatever must be done to safely fly the airplane, be done.

When I was hired by TWA in the summer of 1964 there was a caveat printed at the top of each page of all our manuals.  It had been placed there by the the first President of the airline, aviation pioneer Jack Frye.  It simply stated “No written word can replace good judgement on the firing line!” With the coming of the “Jet Age” and the non-fliers who assumed control of the airline managements, such a concept was unthinkable. ALL the rules must be followed.  The printed “caveat” was removed from our manuals.   Which brings me to the subject of this post.

One statement in our Flight Operations Policy Manual seemed ridiculous to me.   It stated that:  “If a landing cannot be accomplished in the landing zone, a go-around is mandatory”.   Runways are painted with a series of white bars, starting at  the runway threshold.  The one at 1000 feet is wider than the others.  It is defined as the “touchdown target” for all narrow bodied aircraft (DC-9s, 737s, etc).  The next set of bars, at 1500 feet is the designated touchdown target for wide bodied aircraft (757s and larger).  The “landing zone” was defined as 500 feet before and after the touchdown target.

So, if you couldn’t get it on the runway within the first 1500 feet with a narrow body, or 2000 feet with a wide body, you must pull up and go around for another try.  While that makes sense on, say a 6500 foot runway at Washington National or LaGuardia, it makes absolutely no sense whatever on a 14,000 foot runway at JFK International.

When I became a Line Training Captain in 1977, I pointed out this discrepancy to my Chief Pilot.  I was told that this rule wasn’t expected to be applied on all runways in all conditions.  If so, then why didn’t it say that?  There was no room for maneuver in the stated language.  I have always felt that if you make a “Rule” it should be either rigorously enforced, modified or eliminated altogether.  Allowing people to decide which “Rules” or “Laws” they are going to obey, and which they are going to ignore, creates chaos.

Kind of like the chaotic condition which exists today with our immigration situation. The Trump Administration is attempting to follow the “Rules” and secure the border, but many politicians, including some State Governors or City Mayors, are saying we should ignore the rules because they are unreasonable.  That’s not their call.  Immigration laws are Constitutionally created and controlled by the Federal Government, specifically the Legislative Branch.  It is the job of Congress to change the current laws in place if they feel their constituents want such action.  It’s time they forget about getting reelected and do their job.