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Pilot tells passengers "I am not qualified to land the plane"
A Flybe Airlines flight from Cardiff to Paris had to turn around because of fog at Charles De Gaulle Airport. The fog did not force the airport to close. Rather, the pilot, a man with 30 years of experience, had never completed low-visibility training for the particular aircraft that he was flying. Passengers on the flight were stunned when, 20 minutes shy of De Gaulle, the pilot got on the PA system and, instead of announcing the imminent arrival, said the following:
'Unfortunately I'm not qualified to land the plane in Paris. They are asking for a level two qualification and I only have a level five. We'll have to fly back.'
And fly back they did. The bizarre incident is nothing if not humorous, but I doubt the passengers on the flight were amused.
A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority said that such a situation was rare, but not unheard of. "There are different classifications of aircraft and when an aircraft is updated, pilot's who have flown an older version have to completely retrain."
Think that pilot pulled an unusual stunt? What he did is nothing compared to the stunts these girls pulled.
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 4)
Randall Volm Dec 17th 2008 5:58PM
Kristen,
LOL Great scense of humor! :) Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays eveyone! :)
Bobcheesedoodle Dec 17th 2008 6:15PM
Kristen, What the heck are you talking about? I have to correct you. You say, " everyone insists on correcting other posts or informing people of the "right" thing to say." Obviously you don't know what you're talking about! Not "everyone" insists on correcting others. Some do and some don't. Furthermore, your post also constitutes correcting others and you're telling others what to do. You're one of the very people you're criticizing! Also, you start out by saying you "find it funny" then later on say sometimes it's more fun to say something funny. If you already find it funny, why would it possibly be more fun to say something funny?
Bobcheesedoodle Dec 17th 2008 6:22PM
Smiles, If pilots fly planes, why do they have to retrain? Pilots don't fly trains. If you're going to have to make corrections, I'm telling Kristen on you.
Al Dec 17th 2008 6:29PM
The system works and there was nothing bad about what the pilot did if the weather had changed quickly.
If it was poor planning on the airlines part that is different. Good job!
T Collins Dec 17th 2008 6:41PM
Agreed he did the right thing by turning around, but he shouldn't have been flying a plane he was not qualified to land in any condition that might occur. Was the fog a complete freak of nature-no. I can't believe the airline lets any pilot fly a plane they are not qualified to operate in any condition that may occur. What if there was an emergency landing neded?
John Galt Dec 17th 2008 6:50PM
'Unfortunately I'm not qualified to land the plane in Paris. They are asking for a level two qualification and I only have a level five. We'll have to fly back.'
-------------------------------------------------------
"Unfortunately I'm not qualified to be your President. The Constitution is asking for a Natural Born citizen qualification and I am not. We'll have to pick somebody else."
Peace - The Messiah
steve326m Dec 17th 2008 10:19PM
I as well as many here consider using the name Messiah in this context is blasphemous of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Please don't do that any more.
Thank you,
God Bless,
Steve & Myrlita
Bacolod City, PH
Kent Dec 17th 2008 6:54PM
The pilot could have landed the plane. A plane is a plane (this is my humble and uneducated opinion as a non-pilot)....however, the pilot could have lost his license had he landed it on this technicality. So caution is the better part of valor in this case.
Robin Sheffield Dec 17th 2008 7:00PM
I too work in an industry where licensing for certain transportation skills is crucial. The pilot did the honest and honorable thing. Hopefully, he will get additional training. He and his passengers have lived to tell about it.
Kate Dec 17th 2008 7:45PM
Better that than the alternative! At least he was honest.
gail Dec 17th 2008 7:54PM
WTF???????????????
LAWSUIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rom Dec 17th 2008 7:55PM
He did the right thing, only I think he should have thought of something different to tell the passengers. Panic and serious medical problems could have caused many more problems. Not to mention the law suits. He could have just said, " Attention passengers, I turning around and returning to finish my drink I left on the bar"........ :)
Stavo Dec 17th 2008 8:01PM
That pilot sounds like something that would come out of the illegally installed president [sic] gw bushes mouth. That depended on if he was loaded with his favorite nose candy or had one to many of those fermented liguid spirits....because who the heck knows what he would do. lol
McLaren Dec 17th 2008 8:32PM
It appears that the comments are running about 10:1in support of the pilot. As an instrument-rated pilot I applaud the 90% of you for your support of this wise and correct decision. The other 10% of you don't have a clue.
LEIGH Dec 17th 2008 9:40PM
That is exactly why I don't fly anymore!! If I can't drive there, I'M JUST NOT GOING !!! At least I know I can drive MY CAR anywhere - getting into an airplane with IDIOTS that don't know what they are doing is not HAPPENING for ME OR MINE!!! I actually drove back & forth from Boston to Southern New Jersey (5 hours one way) for 7 weeks because I refused to put myself in the hands of an IDIOT flying an airplane!!
paul Dec 18th 2008 8:18AM
Hypocrits! Had there been an accident, these same people making fun of this pilot would have sued the airline and cited as the reason the pilot's lack of proper certification!!!!
Can't you hear them now? This guy should NEVER have landed that plane!!!!
me meagain Dec 20th 2008 12:22PM
#1 the piolet had little choice , as they asked for hir rating........should he have ruined hi carreer fro their
convienence ?
#2 would they rather piolets ignored safety considerations " well we're stains on the runway BUT WE ARE ON TIME -idiotic "thumbs up gesture-
#3 indeed aircraft "performance envelpoes "...DO change radically sometimes when changed or updated,
so they may "fly' very differently ......he did the right and only thing he could do .........DEAL WIT IT