On Monday (3/15/10) the FAA announced that the two Northwest Airline Pilots who flew right past their destination of Minneapolis last year, have dropped their appeal in an attempt to keep their licenses. In a settlement that the FAA declined to expand upon, the two pilots will be able to reapply for their licenses in 10 months.
Although original accounts of the story claim the two had fallen asleep, Capt. Timothy Cheney and First Officer Richard Cole told the investigators they were distracted by an airline scheduling system on their laptops that they were involved in working on. Cheney said, " There's no good excuse, I let my guard down. I wish I could explain why."
He is absolutely right, there is no good excuse. As a pilot myself , I know that you are taught very early on in training that no matter what, as Pilot in Command, your job is to fly the plane. (Period) Yes, there are many other tasks that need to be performed, and things happen suddenly and you need to react to them , but always " Fly the Plane". Obviously the advanced technology on today's airliners greatly reduces the simple tasks and navigational checks that are required of a pilot flying a single engine plane. However, the basic duties of the pilot have not changed, he is still responsible for where the plane is going and that it is on course and that all of that technology is still operating properly.
It is understandable that today's pilot feels a bit "useless" in some phases of modern flight, because his input is no longer needed. But in the state of today's economy, I think that everyone who still has a job needs to be doing it better than ever before. These two pilots are the perfect example of someone taking their job for granted. They need to be digging in deep and showing their fellow pilots why they still have a job ! With the amount of layoffs in the airline industry, it's a safe bet there are two equally qualified pilots on the Unemployment line who would kill to have these two jokers jobs.
I'm sure the scheduling system would have been much more understandable at the bar in the Pilot's Lounge after the flight, over a couple brewskis.
Auto Pilot or not, the number one duty of the Pilot in Command is "Fly the Damn Plane". If the computer is flying it, then he is responsible for making sure the computer is doing it correctly, just as if the First Officer were flying. Computers are not infallible.
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Today in Aviation History :
July 30, 1935... Lieutenant Frank Akers of the U.S. Navy becomes the first person to make a "blind" landing at sea. His biplane has a hooded cockpit allowing him to see only his controls and instruments. He lands on the USS Langley.
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