Much has been made of a study carried out last year by the British multinational market research company YouGov, which concluded that almost half of the men surveyed are confident that they would be able to land a plane in an emergency situation if they had assistance from the control tower. In psychology this is known as overconfidence bias. Some people tend to overestimate their abilities, especially in high-pressure situations.
The study has been controversial because it has revealed a notable difference in perception between men and women. The female majority showed greater caution when faced with the task of landing the plane. Only seven percent were very confident in the possibility of achieving the goal. I confess that I have done field work at dinners and conversations with friends and family and the data offered by the study are very similar to mine. I also sincerely confess that I am among the group of those who believe they could do it.
It is very difficult for us to encounter a case like this in our lives. The closest thing that has happened to me has been guiding a novice Alsa driver into a city. But it seems that this study has tempted reality. Curiously, On October 2nd at the Bakersfield airport, California, a man piloting a small aircraft suffered a heart attack. He was only accompanied by his wife, Yvonne, sixty-nine years old and without any knowledge of airplane handling.
What did Yvonne do? Take charge. Be calm, within your possibilities. Follow the instructions given to him from the control tower and finally land with suspense, but in an appropriate way. There was no type of damage. An investigation has been opened and his act has been considered outstanding. YesIt has been said that it is an unprecedented event. I don’t know how the British company’s studio looks after this, but it seems like a good antidote to loudmouths.
Strength, serenity and the ability to act in moments of extreme tension are abilities that can be hidden in people who do not show them. Furthermore, we do not know the skills we can develop in moments when our lives and those we love are at stake. Sometimes, reality overturns all the studies, the gatherings and the after-dinner conversations and gives us a lesson in humanity.
#land #plane #Column #Saldaña
