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Only approved electronic devices allowed in the cockpit?
Maybe the flight attendants should start talking to the cockpit, too. When a plane overshot Minneapolis last month because the crew was playing around with personal laptops, national attention turned to what actually goes on in the front of the plane. Congress is kicking around the idea of a new bill that would kick personal electronic devices from the cockpit.
Unsurprisingly, the pilots and airlines aren't crazy about the idea. They say that the measure would impede progress by making innovation less accessible. Scott Schleiffer, a cargo pilot who's also thrown some brain time at safety issues for the Air Line Pilots Association, told USA Today, "We would like to have access to tools, and as tools evolve, we would like to have better tools."
FAA chief Randy Babbit agrees, saying, "We need to be very careful," in regards to the prohibition of personal devices in the cockpit.
Airlines are starting to bring new technology into the cockpit, with laptops and other devices used to improved weather and safety information. The devices aren't all that different from what distracted the Northwest pilots who missed Minneapolis. JetBlue has issued laptops to pilots, which are used to push through calculations during takeoff and landing. But, the airline doesn't allow personal use of them.
So far, two bills have been introduced in the Senate. They would exempt devices used to operate the plane or help with safety issues, but pilots don't believe that this is enough.
Neither side of the argument addresses the core problem: keeping pilots focused on the job. In theory, extraordinary measures shouldn't be necessary. Professionals, by definition, should not need that kind of intense oversight. It's already against the against the law for pilots not to pay attention to their responsibilities, and that's probably enough regulation. Instead, the solution needs to come to the airlines -- organizational measures are needed to ensure that professionals remain professional. Executed properly, the good ones shouldn't even notice a different.
Filed under: North America, United States, Airlines
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Pilot DJ Frost Nov 22nd 2009 10:29AM
This is all a knee jerk reaction to one very unusual incident. As far as I know, the final results are not in from the investigation regarding whether or not they were actually on their laptops or something else ...and we may never actually know.
You are right to point out that there are already appropriate procedures in place and that professionals will not notice any difference. My experience as an international pilot tells me that this one just slipped through the cracks.
As a rule, pilots are professionals. We pride ourselves not only on safety but also on the smoothness of the flight and landing. It makes my day when someone compliments me on a nice, smooth landing.
Pilot DJ Frost