The Captains Council (TCC) rejects the attempt to silence criticism and analysis of Dominican aviation through legal tactics, including a formal notice served by a court officer on our president, Captain Francisco Díaz, at the request of one of the Dominican Republic’s pilot associations. We believe this action seeks to derail a necessary discussion about operational safety in the country.
The notice followed Captain Díaz’s September 17 interview on 55 Minutos, hosted by journalist Julissa Céspedes on CDN. He spoke expressly in his capacity as TCC president, with the full support of our captains and advisers regarding the operational safety issues discussed.
We view this action as an attempt to restrict both Captain Díaz’s freedom to discuss operational safety and the public’s right to receive information on a matter of public interest. Freedom of expression and the right to information are essential to a modern democracy and are recognized in the Dominican Constitution.
We therefore offer the following considerations:
I. THE IMPORTANCE OF CRITICISM IN AVIATION: From the first day of training, aviation professionals learn to improve their skills and techniques through observations and criticism. They are expected to accept even the most candid and demanding feedback, learn from it, and apply those lessons to their next task.
Pilots are also expected to critically examine their own actions, decisions, and communications. In multi-pilot crews, they must encourage open discussion, including scrutiny of their fellow pilots’ actions and decisions. These practices are central to modern Crew Resource Management (CRM) and aviation leadership, and they form a cornerstone of today’s approach to airline safety.
II. BALANCING RECOGNITION AND CRITICISM: We recognize that the Dominican aviation industry has many highly talented professionals doing extraordinary work. Their achievements deserve recognition. During the interview, Captain Díaz cited Arajet’s safety management system and its work with Boeing as a positive example for Dominican aviation. He also highlighted the rapid growth of national airlines and international operations.
Some accomplished aviation professionals have contacted us privately to express concerns about departures from safe practices. They are part of what could be called “the silent majority”: professionals committed to their industry who recognize weaknesses in the system but may be reluctant to speak publicly.
III. INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICES: ICAO provisions and guidance in Annexes 13 and 19 and the Safety Management Manual (Doc 9859), together with the safety reporting practices of the U.S. FAA and the Dominican Republic’s IDAC, recognize the value of analyzing incidents and accidents and sharing lessons learned while protecting confidential information and sources.
De-identifying individuals when appropriate helps the aviation community learn from events without unnecessarily exposing those involved. Demands to reveal their identities undermine that purpose. The incidents Captain Díaz cited in the interview have been reported to the appropriate authorities. Anyone seeking further information about these incidents should follow the established procedures of the relevant national aviation authorities.
IV. NATIONAL IMAGE AND TOURISM: TCC has observed a troubling trend of resistance to transparency and professional criticism in Dominican aviation. Protecting the country’s image and tourism industry is invoked as a reason to suppress dissenting voices or reports of unsafe practices. Most tourists come from modern, open democratic societies where aviation systems are subject to criticism and where weaknesses and opportunities for improvement are openly discussed.
Yet some government officials, commentators, and even fellow aviators believe that similar discussions in the Dominican Republic would damage the country’s image or discourage tourists from visiting. TCC believes the opposite. An honest and transparent public discussion of aviation safety would strengthen the Dominican Republic’s image as a modern democracy and a society committed to safety, consistent with the practices of the countries from which many of its visitors originate.
V. OUR COMMITMENT TO ALL: TCC will continue to give a voice to aviation professionals who fear retaliation or breaches of confidentiality. We will continue to discuss weaknesses in the system, protect the confidentiality of those who come to us, and exercise our independent judgment. This attempt to intimidate our team will not end the technical discussion.
We also reiterate our offer to several Dominican pilot organizations—including the association behind this notice—to join forces to improve Dominican aviation. Such cooperation must respect our independence of opinion, freedom of expression, and commitment to confidentiality for everyone who reaches out to us. Under no circumstances can it proceed under threats of legal action against our members or advisers.