It was autumn in France. We were on our way to the Tulouse Airport when the handphones of some friends from Taiwanese media started ringing one after another.
“What？ An SIA plane has crashed in Chiang Kai-shek International Airport in Taoyuan？” exclaimed one of them. This was echoed by the rest and their words began ringing in my ears.
How could this be possible？ Just a false alarm probably, I told myself. Still, I could not help but called the office, only to have the tragic news confirmed by my superior.
The golden wings of flight SQ006 and the airline's 28-year perfect safety record have been wrecked by typhoon Xangsane.
It is a cruel fact that many, including me, find hard to accept. Never mind that memories of the 3-year-old SilkAir disaster which I covered, remain vivid in my mind.
But I have been telling myself that SilkAir is a subsidiary of SIA and that similar misfortunes will never happen to SIA. Am I alone in thinking this way？
Why do we have such wishful thinking？ Why is the SIA plane crash such a shock to us？
Is it because we have grown “accustomed” to SIA winning the top spot in a few global rankings every year and as a result, our expectations of the airline have also gone up？
It is an undisputable fact that with the growing demand for and global development of civil aviation, the number of planes that take off and land at any airport every day has risen tremendously.
From a statistical point of view, this has increased the possibility of air disasters. For rapidly-expanding SIA, this means a greater challenge in maintaining its clean record.
The greater the challenge, the more difficult it is to find people who can handle it with confidence. Similarly, the higher the expectations, the bigger the letdown when they are not met.
Before the truth is established, like many Singaporeans, I accept the “consequences” of the plane having used the wrong runway, but have reservations about the “causes” that led the pilots to make the error.
The crash is testimony to an old Chinese saying： “In nature there are unexpected storms and in life unpredictable vicissitudes”。 It makes us sit up and become aware that accidents can happen anytime - no matter how impressive your record has been and how thorough the system of operation is.
This is something that Singaporeans who have grown used to affluence and have little experiences with natural calamities should ponder about.
Have we taken the peace that we enjoy for granted？ Has the slogan of “be prepared for danger in times of peace” become something that we remind ourselves of only during the annual Total Defence activities？
Are we mentally prepared for sudden and tragic incidents？ Are we setting increasingly high standards for “peace, efficiency and safety” so much so that we do not pay attention to the possible emergence of “impossible situations”？
When something unfortunate strikes, as individuals, are we able to face and accept the fact？ As a society, are we able to stay united, help each other out and work hand in hand？
The SilkAir disaster three years ago is our first experience of being “thrown into panic”。 The recent SIA plane crash shows us that nothing is impossible.
There is no longer anything that will not happen, even in Singapore. The alarm has been raised and everyone should now “be prepared for danger in times of peace”。
Perhaps we should re-adjust our expectations of the way things should be and re-evaluate every possibility.
Becuase it is true that nothing can be taken for granted.
On my journey back to Singapore, I stopped off in London to switch to another flight. There, I saw on TV the wreckage of SQ006 burning fiercely in the rain.
This caused me to hesitate for a few minutes - would I have the courage to step into the SIA cabin two hours later？。
But it was only a brief moment of uncertainty.
I returned home safely and covering the crash allowed me to gain a better understanding of the disaster.
Accepting the fact that accidents can happen to SIA planes does not mean a loss of confidence in the national carrier.
I believe that a phoenix that rises from its ashes will be even more dazzlingly beautiful.
（The writer is a Correspondent of Lianhe Zaobao. Translated by Yap Gee Poh）
新航空難的教訓
林順華
秋末的法國,前往圖盧茲機場的途中,同車數(shù)位臺灣媒體朋友的手機先后響起。
“什么！新航客機在桃園中正機場失事！”
聽一個說,接著陸續(xù)其他人也附應,便似回音般在耳際回蕩。
怎么可能呢？應該是虛驚一場吧。我內(nèi)心暗忖。
但終究還是忍不住撥電回新加坡,結果從主任口中證實這個惡訊。
新航那金黃色的羽翼,經(jīng)過28年的安穩(wěn)翱翔后,還是在臺風象神的侵襲下斷折了。
這是一個許多人至今還是難以接受的殘酷事實,包括我在內(nèi)。雖然,約三年前采訪勝安空難時的情景仍歷歷在目。
但我總是告訴自己,勝安是新航的子公司,這類意外是不會發(fā)生在新航客機的。你呢,是不是也有這個想法？
為什么我們會有這種一廂情愿的想法呢？SQ006空難,為什么會讓我們感受到這么大的震驚呢？是我們“習慣”聽到新航年年獲得數(shù)個世界第一的消息,以致我們自然而然地對它的期望越定越高嗎？
隨著全球民航業(yè)的發(fā)展,人們對航空需求的提高。每天在任何一個機場起起落落的客機數(shù)目大大增加,卻也是個不爭的事實。
如此一來,從統(tǒng)計學的角度來看,空難發(fā)生的機率也就相對提高。對于業(yè)務擴展迅速的新航來說,避免慘禍發(fā)生的挑戰(zhàn)也就越來越大。
挑戰(zhàn)越大,能從容應付的人也就越難求。
同樣的,期望越高,震撼也就越強烈。
在真相還未水落石出前,我如同許多國人般,雖承認飛機上錯跑道的“后果”,卻對機師如何會犯下這錯誤的“前因”有所保留。
然而,新航空難印證了“天有不測之風云”的古話,對我們敲響了警鐘,意識到意外是隨時都可能發(fā)生的——無論你之前擁有多么輝煌的記錄,運作制度是如何的周全。
單就這一點,便對豐衣足食、少有機會經(jīng)歷天災的新加坡人有深重意義。
生活在幾乎是太平盛世的社會里,我們是否已視一切為理所當然。至于“居安思?！钡目谔?每年則只在全面防衛(wèi)活動時才喊一喊。
我們是否真的具備一定的心理素質(zhì),來應對這類突發(fā)的事件？我們本身對這一切的“太平、效率、安全”等,是否定下了越來越高的期望,以致忽略了現(xiàn)實生活中可能出現(xiàn)的“不可能狀況”？
當狀況發(fā)生后,作為個人,我們是否有能力接受事實、面對事實、承認事實？
當狀況發(fā)生后,作為社會,我們是否能夠團結一致、互相扶持、共同進退？
三年前的勝安空難,讓我們初嘗這種“驚慌失措”；三年后的新航空難,讓我們證實了世事無絕對。
再也沒有什么事情是不可能發(fā)生的,即使是在新加坡。
居安思危的警號,此刻應該在人人心中亮起。
或許我們都有必要調(diào)整心中對每件事的期望,重新為每個可能性進行評估。
因為,真的,沒有什么是理所當然的。
我從圖盧茲回返新加坡時,是在英國倫敦轉(zhuǎn)機,在那里,我看到客機殘骸在風雨中狂燒的電視畫面。
這令我有數(shù)分鐘的遲疑,不曉得有沒有勇氣在兩個小時后踏入新航的機艙。
結果,那也僅是數(shù)分鐘的遲疑。
我不但安然抵達祖國,也因采訪空難而對事件有更多的了解。
調(diào)整心態(tài)接受新航客機也可能失事,并不表示對新航的信心將隨之煙消云散。
我始終相信,從火浴中重生的鳳凰,將會更奪目！
“What？ An SIA plane has crashed in Chiang Kai-shek International Airport in Taoyuan？” exclaimed one of them. This was echoed by the rest and their words began ringing in my ears.
How could this be possible？ Just a false alarm probably, I told myself. Still, I could not help but called the office, only to have the tragic news confirmed by my superior.
The golden wings of flight SQ006 and the airline's 28-year perfect safety record have been wrecked by typhoon Xangsane.
It is a cruel fact that many, including me, find hard to accept. Never mind that memories of the 3-year-old SilkAir disaster which I covered, remain vivid in my mind.
But I have been telling myself that SilkAir is a subsidiary of SIA and that similar misfortunes will never happen to SIA. Am I alone in thinking this way？
Why do we have such wishful thinking？ Why is the SIA plane crash such a shock to us？
Is it because we have grown “accustomed” to SIA winning the top spot in a few global rankings every year and as a result, our expectations of the airline have also gone up？
It is an undisputable fact that with the growing demand for and global development of civil aviation, the number of planes that take off and land at any airport every day has risen tremendously.
From a statistical point of view, this has increased the possibility of air disasters. For rapidly-expanding SIA, this means a greater challenge in maintaining its clean record.
The greater the challenge, the more difficult it is to find people who can handle it with confidence. Similarly, the higher the expectations, the bigger the letdown when they are not met.
Before the truth is established, like many Singaporeans, I accept the “consequences” of the plane having used the wrong runway, but have reservations about the “causes” that led the pilots to make the error.
The crash is testimony to an old Chinese saying： “In nature there are unexpected storms and in life unpredictable vicissitudes”。 It makes us sit up and become aware that accidents can happen anytime - no matter how impressive your record has been and how thorough the system of operation is.
This is something that Singaporeans who have grown used to affluence and have little experiences with natural calamities should ponder about.
Have we taken the peace that we enjoy for granted？ Has the slogan of “be prepared for danger in times of peace” become something that we remind ourselves of only during the annual Total Defence activities？
Are we mentally prepared for sudden and tragic incidents？ Are we setting increasingly high standards for “peace, efficiency and safety” so much so that we do not pay attention to the possible emergence of “impossible situations”？
When something unfortunate strikes, as individuals, are we able to face and accept the fact？ As a society, are we able to stay united, help each other out and work hand in hand？
The SilkAir disaster three years ago is our first experience of being “thrown into panic”。 The recent SIA plane crash shows us that nothing is impossible.
There is no longer anything that will not happen, even in Singapore. The alarm has been raised and everyone should now “be prepared for danger in times of peace”。
Perhaps we should re-adjust our expectations of the way things should be and re-evaluate every possibility.
Becuase it is true that nothing can be taken for granted.
On my journey back to Singapore, I stopped off in London to switch to another flight. There, I saw on TV the wreckage of SQ006 burning fiercely in the rain.
This caused me to hesitate for a few minutes - would I have the courage to step into the SIA cabin two hours later？。
But it was only a brief moment of uncertainty.
I returned home safely and covering the crash allowed me to gain a better understanding of the disaster.
Accepting the fact that accidents can happen to SIA planes does not mean a loss of confidence in the national carrier.
I believe that a phoenix that rises from its ashes will be even more dazzlingly beautiful.
（The writer is a Correspondent of Lianhe Zaobao. Translated by Yap Gee Poh）
新航空難的教訓
林順華
秋末的法國,前往圖盧茲機場的途中,同車數(shù)位臺灣媒體朋友的手機先后響起。
“什么！新航客機在桃園中正機場失事！”
聽一個說,接著陸續(xù)其他人也附應,便似回音般在耳際回蕩。
怎么可能呢？應該是虛驚一場吧。我內(nèi)心暗忖。
但終究還是忍不住撥電回新加坡,結果從主任口中證實這個惡訊。
新航那金黃色的羽翼,經(jīng)過28年的安穩(wěn)翱翔后,還是在臺風象神的侵襲下斷折了。
這是一個許多人至今還是難以接受的殘酷事實,包括我在內(nèi)。雖然,約三年前采訪勝安空難時的情景仍歷歷在目。
但我總是告訴自己,勝安是新航的子公司,這類意外是不會發(fā)生在新航客機的。你呢,是不是也有這個想法？
為什么我們會有這種一廂情愿的想法呢？SQ006空難,為什么會讓我們感受到這么大的震驚呢？是我們“習慣”聽到新航年年獲得數(shù)個世界第一的消息,以致我們自然而然地對它的期望越定越高嗎？
隨著全球民航業(yè)的發(fā)展,人們對航空需求的提高。每天在任何一個機場起起落落的客機數(shù)目大大增加,卻也是個不爭的事實。
如此一來,從統(tǒng)計學的角度來看,空難發(fā)生的機率也就相對提高。對于業(yè)務擴展迅速的新航來說,避免慘禍發(fā)生的挑戰(zhàn)也就越來越大。
挑戰(zhàn)越大,能從容應付的人也就越難求。
同樣的,期望越高,震撼也就越強烈。
在真相還未水落石出前,我如同許多國人般,雖承認飛機上錯跑道的“后果”,卻對機師如何會犯下這錯誤的“前因”有所保留。
然而,新航空難印證了“天有不測之風云”的古話,對我們敲響了警鐘,意識到意外是隨時都可能發(fā)生的——無論你之前擁有多么輝煌的記錄,運作制度是如何的周全。
單就這一點,便對豐衣足食、少有機會經(jīng)歷天災的新加坡人有深重意義。
生活在幾乎是太平盛世的社會里,我們是否已視一切為理所當然。至于“居安思?！钡目谔?每年則只在全面防衛(wèi)活動時才喊一喊。
我們是否真的具備一定的心理素質(zhì),來應對這類突發(fā)的事件？我們本身對這一切的“太平、效率、安全”等,是否定下了越來越高的期望,以致忽略了現(xiàn)實生活中可能出現(xiàn)的“不可能狀況”？
當狀況發(fā)生后,作為個人,我們是否有能力接受事實、面對事實、承認事實？
當狀況發(fā)生后,作為社會,我們是否能夠團結一致、互相扶持、共同進退？
三年前的勝安空難,讓我們初嘗這種“驚慌失措”；三年后的新航空難,讓我們證實了世事無絕對。
再也沒有什么事情是不可能發(fā)生的,即使是在新加坡。
居安思危的警號,此刻應該在人人心中亮起。
或許我們都有必要調(diào)整心中對每件事的期望,重新為每個可能性進行評估。
因為,真的,沒有什么是理所當然的。
我從圖盧茲回返新加坡時,是在英國倫敦轉(zhuǎn)機,在那里,我看到客機殘骸在風雨中狂燒的電視畫面。
這令我有數(shù)分鐘的遲疑,不曉得有沒有勇氣在兩個小時后踏入新航的機艙。
結果,那也僅是數(shù)分鐘的遲疑。
我不但安然抵達祖國,也因采訪空難而對事件有更多的了解。
調(diào)整心態(tài)接受新航客機也可能失事,并不表示對新航的信心將隨之煙消云散。
我始終相信,從火浴中重生的鳳凰,將會更奪目！