The mysteries that are hidden behind the cockpit door of acommercial airliner or corporate jet are rarely contemplated bymost travelers. After boarding, we conduct business, are excited tobe on vacation or are concerned about whether they are on-time. Wemake our last call, send an e-mail or text, and settle down toeither a nap or an anxious takeoff. We know little about theengineering magic that makes a 400 plus ton machine on a tricyclegear lift itself towards the sky. We think very little about thetwo strangers sitting in the cockpit wearing crisp company uniformswith striped epaulets on their shoulders. We don't know where theylearned to fly, whether they were at the top or bottom of theirclass, what problems they suffer in their lives, or other factorsthat may affect their competency during your flight.

Yet, we routinely allow them to take us hurtling down the runwayat 150 miles per hour or so, then 5 to 7 miles above Earth into thestratosphere, a remarkably hostile environment often with hurricaneforce winds and Arctic winter temperatures, flying at speeds of 500miles per hour or more. A place where the air is so thin most of uswould be rendered unconscious in a very short period of time. Whengiven a moment's thought, it is a remarkable leap of faithroutinely taken by millions of travelers worldwide.

What should we think about the recent published events aboutflight attendants opening the cabin door of an airliner whiletaxiing, deploying the emergency chute and escaping with two beers,one in each hand? Or how about the flight attendant who may havesuffered a breakdown during flight screaming about bombs andcrashing?

Most recently, a captain of a popular and well-knownairline, reportedly with an impeccable reputation, disrupted aflight with shouts and screams about bombs and al-Qaeda. Is there ahistory of these incidents? Sadly, yes. A popular mail and airfreight company aircrew suffered a devastating in-flightbludgeoning by a distraught fellow pilot who had unknowingly stowedaway in the large jet aircraft. Despite these incidents, in-flightdisruptions by flight crews and flight attendants are rare.

As with any profession, becoming a pilot, particularly forthe airlines, requires years of study. The process to obtain aCommercial or Airline Transport Pilot's license demands practice,apprenticing, a high level of piloting competency and regulartesting for flight safety. There are numerous licenseratings which require more training and testing. Forexample, a pilot must undergo additional training, be tested, andreceive a license rating for each different type of jetthey fly. In many airlines, when a captain of a smaller jet movesto a larger jet, they must again fly as a first officer to gainexperience in the model. Flight safety is based on a myriad offactors including pilot training, competency and proficiency,medical exams (every six months), air traffic control, aircraftengineering and maintenance. Each country has a government agencythat oversees flying safety and enacts and enforcesregulations. Professional pilots are one of the mostcarefully scrutinized and regulated professions in the world.

Nonetheless, crew incidents do occur. Why, what are themysteries behind the cockpit door and how does it affect flightsafety? A professional flight crew is a highly disciplined unit,working under a command structure. There is a captain, firstofficer (copilot) and in some aircraft a flight engineer (secondofficer). Each has designated responsibilities which are regimentedinto a routine designed to enhance safety. The captain is bytradition and by law the final authority within an aircraft. Inearlier days of commercial flying the philosophy many captains hadwas that the copilot was there to put the gear up, flaps up,and was then to shut up.

Modern airline flying is anything but autocratic. A philosophyand training regimen known as cockpit crew resourcemanagement has emerged as a leading safety practice betweenranking captains and their flight crews. Teamwork is emphasized inmodern cockpits. Copilots are trained and encouraged to question acaptain's planning or in-flight decision should they feel it isadverse to a safe flight. Although the final decision rests withthe captain, cockpit crew resource management has led to much saferflying. Flight crews are supposed correct each other's cockpiterrors before they can lead into a deadly chain of events leadingto an accident, regardless of rank. It is considered inadvisable topair a captain who is new to a make and model jet, with a co-pilotequally new and it is rarely done. The Colgan flight which crashedduring approach to Buffalo because of the crew’s failure torecognize deadly diminishing airspeed secondary to accumulatingairframe icing suffered such a fate. This is not a frequentoccurrence in the airline business.

Airliners are now automated and can fly themselves, navigatethemselves and land themselves in visibility so low, the passengersfirst inkling they are close to the runway is the bump of thelanding. In the case of the French Air Bus models automated systemssometimes override a pilot’s direct flying inputs. Debates areflying both ways regarding whether a machine overriding a pilotcauses or prevents more accidents. Automation may have unintendednegative consequences. Basic pilot flying skills can be eroded ifnot used regularly. We now see more of an emphasis to return to thetraining regimen’s which emphasized developing and maintainingbasic stick & rudder skills in addition to ‘procedural’ flyingmethods.

Despite the recent startling events in a few airliners, flyingremains one of the safest ways to travel in history. Continuousprogress has been made towards the goal of minimizing accidents tothe lowest possible number by impeccably high piloting standards,remarkable engineering and government accident study and oversight.What is happening behind the cockpit door? Well, take your nap,text your family, and let them know you’ll be home in a fewhours….you are being cared for by a team of truly remarkableproficient men and woman.