Why is aviation so full of persnickety characters?

Probably because that is how most CAA’s operate. And consequently the fear of retribution is instilled in most pilots at student level.

That is not true here in the UK. Almost nobody gets prosecuted. List They go after people doing illegal AOC, high-profile CAS busts, and those who stick up the middle finger in the interview.

So I wonder where this comes from…

Peter,

I did not refert to prosecution here, but about rule interpretation. As in, TBO, as in minimum equipment to fly IFR, as in minimum requirements to do certain things. Most of this stuff never reaches the stage where people could get prosecuted for failing to do something but ends up with them not doing things in the first place because they can’t see how to fulfil the requirements. Add to that that some of those requirements are not even real but implied. The moment people think the hassle is to bad, they simply will not do it in the first place. Why do we have so many VFR pilots who never contemplated the IR? Why do so many people keep their airplanes VFR instead of IFR? Why are airplanes with engines close to TBO unsellable? Because of rule interpretation, which can change without any legal base and at a whim. Ask those who had to tear apart their perfectly servicable engines due to one of those whims executed by the Swiss FOCA? Ask anyone who paid $$$$$$ for a SID they did not really need.

Busts per se are rare, most of them will really be about drastic things such as airspace infringements e.t.c. where they also do make sense.

An over developed sense of respect for authority is a counterproductive thing. I’m thankful that people I know who actually have some authority and/or influence over my aeronautical operations have (1) a lot of knowledge (2) a kind, responsible and helpful attitude and (3) no overdeveloped, fearful sense of respect for authority whatsoever. In general they’re a bit of the opposite, being if anything a bit persnickety about the precise limits of rules. These would include mechanics, inspectors, instructors, several vastly experienced pilot mentors and even my AME. The world is a better place for them, and the associated possibility to learn unendingly about aviation while simultaneously ignoring self promoting, rule inventing blowhards of all stripes

Without helpful, positive individuals like them I’d be out of aviation so fast you wouldn’t see me leave. In turn I try to do my part to help others, a responsibility that comes with being part of a community… not exploiting it.

I second the opinion that this is rather a phenomenon typical for online fora, rather than aviation itself.

On a more personal note: I do feel addressed to some degree by Cobalt’s initial characterization of the persnickety type (thanks btw, didn’t know that word before ). I do participate in such discussions, I do post questions relating to rules and rule interpretation every now and then, I follow those rule interpretation discussions that go all anal about it and I’m not annoyed by them.

Now, I’m not a party pooper, I don’t want more rules and I don’t want people to interpret rules in the most strict way in real life. I’m certainly in favor of a common sense approach to all this. But the one huge benefit of discussion forums is the very opportunity to discuss such questions in detail, to dissect a rule or maybe two conflicting rules and – in a joint effort – to make sense of them as good as possible. And in aviation more so than in other aspects of life, I have an interest in doing things “right” – that includes matters of airmanship as much as adhering to (or at least understanding and maybe deliberately ignoring) any rules that may govern the flying I do out there. So I like to dissect those rules, I like to flip them around, I like to be the devil’s advocate and I may come across as a pedant – but I do it for the sake of understanding, and consequently, evaluating – not because I’m a frustrated, cynical arm chair pilot.

This phenomenon is non existent in the lightest end of GA, the flexwing microlights, paragliders and foot launched pilots seem much more interested in just getting on with the flying..

The phenomenon seems to come to it’s peak in well qualified Private Pilot types.

I discount all Airline and AOC ops from this as they are outside my knowledge and have their own arcane way of working.

Two quotes about this:
“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” – Pablo Picasso
“Many aviation regulations are written in blood.” – Unknown

Rwy20 wrote:

Many aviation regulations are written in blood

Not sure I can think of any actual regulations that prevent sensible people from hurting themselves. Bear in mind that the real cowboys ignore the rules anyway!

I second the opinion that this is rather a phenomenon typical for online fora, rather than aviation itself.

Yes – this problem applies mostly to forums and is much less debated over a lunch for example. At EuroGA fly-ins, there is almost zero “regulatory” chat.

Unfortunately or otherwise, one cannot do much about persnickety characters with any sensible moderation policy

But what one can do (read: what all of you can do) is to post interesting stuff / start threads on great topics. This diverts discussion into interesting areas and away from the stuff which nobody likes to read but which cannot be modded without getting heavy handed.

And it isn’t just persnickety characters that are very much in that category; it is some other topics which also get really really repetitive and tedious

This phenomenon is non existent in the lightest end of GA, the flexwing microlights, paragliders and foot launched pilots seem much more interested in just getting on with the flying..

I think if you asked ATC why they think that is, they would give you some interesting answers I recall hearing one great story from ATC at the now-defunct Lyneham… seemingly an entire UL fly-in flew through their zone en-masse.

Sorry to be pernickety, but according to Google

persnickety
/pəˈsnɪkɪti/
adjective: persnickety

North American term for pernickety.