Seven people on the ground also died. Investigators blamed pilot error, the same cause of two previous accidents. The mandatory flight-simulator training for all pilots was also lengthened from four to eight days every year. Kupferschmied and his consulting team created two Intranet web sites for staff to air their grievances and other comments anonymously. In a marked departure from past practice, every CAL flight is now evaluated for errors.
Executives discuss the reports at weekly management meetings.
We decided not to hide anything. Kupferschmied also began a wholesale behavior-modification program. Captains, you especially have to treat your first officer as an equal partner, not as a subordinate. There's nothing wrong with tradition, says ex-president Liu, who came from the sales side. Even though China Airlines is greatly influenced by its past, its air force traditions and code of honor, you've got to separate these from the realities of running a modern airline.