Relax - Cockpit Capers

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What goes on behind closed doors is not the business of others - except when it is an aircraft cockpit door.

At least that is what two American pilots know now in the wake of an Oct 21 incident where their jetliner overshot its destination by 240km.

Last week, the Northwest Airlines pilots told investigators they were so focused on a new crew roster on their laptop computers that they flew past their Minneapolis stop.

Air traffic controllers could not reach them for 91 minutes. A flight attendant had to alert them on an intercom. They then turned the plane around, with 144 passengers on board, and landed safely. The two pilots' licences were revoked last Wednesday.

This headline-making incident has raised the poser: What can pilots do when they take a break, especially on long flights?

For sure, aviation regulators will be examining the issue of pilots using laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and other personal electronic devices in the cockpit.

Currently, the Federal Aviation Administration - the United States' regulator - does not specifically ban pilots' use of such devices, once the plane is above 10,000ft.

In Singapore, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore prohibits the use of portable electronic devices below 10,000ft and during take-offs and landings.

Also, airlines do not have a standard 'flight deck' policy, a Sunday Times check found. Singapore Airlines (SIA) does allow its pilots to take personal electronic devices into the aircraft, but their use is subject to certain guidelines.

Its spokesman said: 'The crew are cognisant that situational awareness and flight management must not be compromised at any time.'

At Delta Air Lines, using laptops or engaging in activity unrelated to the pilots' command of the aircraft during flight is against company policy.

But several pilots told The Sunday Times they do use such devices once the aircraft is cruising.

One pilot, 32, said laptops or PDAs are often used to look up e-manuals and to check e-mail and rosters.

He added: 'We also use them to view photos we had taken of the country we had just flown off from.'

Another pilot, 42, who has been flying for 12 years, said once the auto-pilot is activated, it is not unusual for pilots to read newspapers or magazines. One pilot he has worked with reads the Bible.

Former pilot Kenneth Toft, 73, recalled a case years ago when a Europe-bound plane, which took off from South Korea, overshot its destination - because its pilots were playing poker.

'Pilots just can't be distracted with card games and computers,' he said. 'This is serious; you have the lives of your passengers at stake.'

Most airlines also do not allow pilots to engage in unnecessary small talk during critical moments such as when taking off and landing.

In the US, the National Transportation Safety Board has linked six crashes since 2004 to cockpit banter or joking during critical flight phases. Examples cited included mimicking a chicken and expletive-laced jokes.

One pilot said pilots who know each other well tend to chat about their families and sports to make long flights 'less boring'.

The Sunday Times understands that there are usually two pilots on board a flight. For flights beyond 10 hours, two sets of pilots are rostered to work shifts.

Typically, the senior pilot is in charge of all flying aspects from take-off to landing. The co-pilot monitors the pilot's actions, and handles radio calls and the flight plan.

Pilots interviewed said that it was unusual, as happened in the Northwest saga, for pilots to be out of communication with the air traffic controllers for 91 minutes.

Two-way contact has to be maintained at all times.

'Normally, every 20 minutes or so, we'll report our position, or be alerted to flight path changes. When we're flying over water, then it's about every 45 minutes,' said a 42-year-old pilot.

One flight operations expert, who declined to be identified, said that even when the plane is on auto-pilot, pilots should stay alert.

'Everything may be automated, but it is still critical for both pilots to monitor the system for changes or alerts. They have to keep their eyes and ears open and keep track of their location at all times,' he said.

In the last six months, at least two planes, one headed to Hawaii and another to Mumbai, both on auto-pilot, have missed their destinations because the pilots fell asleep, according to reports.

Pilots interviewed said fatigue can set in on long flights, especially when they are coping with time differences. Some drink coffee, do stretch exercises or chat with each other to stay awake.

Captain P. James, president of the Air Line Pilots Association - Singapore, said: 'After all, pilots are human. What is important is that they get enough rest.'

Asked if airlines should do more to prevent pilots from being distracted, he said: 'We've never had that problem at SIA. The safeguards are already in place; what is important is picking the right people for the job.'

mavistoh@sph.com.sg

DOS AND DON'TS

What pilots can and cannot do in most cockpits (different airlines may have different policies):

They can:

- Have meals
- Chat during non-critical flight periods
- Read while still monitoring instruments and controls

They cannot:
- Use personal laptops, PDAs, cellphones and other electronic devices for non-work-related matters
- Open the cockpit door to non-crew members
- Leave the cockpit empty; that is, at least one pilot must be on hand

For more The Straits Times stories, click here.

Cockpit Capers

By Mavis Toh, The Straits Times | Wed, Nov 4 2009

Recent case of US plane going off course puts spotlight on what pilots get up to during flights.

Keywords

northwest

pilot