Definition
One of the five hazardous attitudes identified by the FAA. It is the mindset of a pilot who resents being told what to do and tends to disregard rules, regulations, procedures, or the instructions of others, often expressed as the thought 'Don't tell me!' The standard antidote thought is: 'Follow the rules. They are usually right.'
Plain English
A pilot's bad habit of thinking the rules don't apply to them. The fix is to remind yourself that the rules exist for good reasons and to follow them.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA discussions of hazardous attitudes, especially in the “Don’t tell me” attitude shown in the Aviation Instructor’s Handbook.
Derivation
From Latin 'ante' (against, opposite) plus 'authority' (from Latin 'auctoritas,' meaning power or command). Literally 'against authority.' The label captures the attitude exactly: pushing back against the people, rules, or procedures meant to keep flight safe.
Why Pilots Care
This attitude can lead a pilot to disregard safety regulations or ATC instructions, raising the risk of an accident.
Intuition Check
Anti-authority does not mean asking good questions or using judgment. It means rejecting rules or instructions mainly because you dislike being told what to do.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor pointed out that skipping the pre-takeoff checklist was a sign of an anti-authority attitude creeping in.
Example Sentence 2
During the checkride the examiner noted the applicant’s anti-authority attitude when he argued against following standard traffic pattern procedures.