http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/10/22/airliner.fly.by/index.html
Airliner crew flies 150 miles past airport
This article talks about a Northwest Airlines flight overshooting its destination by about 150 miles. Communication was lost between Air Traffic Control and the plane for more than an hour. After the plane continued to fly 150 past the destination, communication was finally established again. The pilots claimed to have been in a heated argument, making them lose their sense of time and space, but they are actually being accused of sleeping on thee job.
In some ways, I feel like too big of a deal is being made about this, because mistakes are made all the time, but in other ways I think it is unacceptable for things like this to happen, especially after 9/11. Apparently the agency is investigating the matter, which I am in agreement with. If communication was lost, it sounds to me like something fishy was going on, whether it be the pilots were sleeping or if they were in a heated discussion over airline policy like they actually said. Either way, neither should be tolerated because people need to be able to trust that airlines will take people to their destination safely. For instance, there has been very few cases of pilots falling asleep on the job, once of them being in February of 2008, when two pilots fell asleep and flew past their destination 26 miles. The pilots we are talking about here traveled over 150 miles past, which is a big difference. It just sounds like something is being convered up. People need to be able to trust having safe travel on planes, and if agencies need to set the precedent by making it clear with these two pilots that sleeping on the job, or engaging in heated discussions is strictly prohibited unnecessary accidents happen, then so be it.
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I also wrote my current event on this topic. Unlike what you wrote, I dont think its begin blown out of proportion. This of all job industries she be the top ones taken very seriously. The pilots should be given a second chance, especially since they lost contact for over an hour! I can understand small flight problems, like the pilot needing to circle around to land better or somthing.. but when they lose contact for an hour, and fly off for another 150 miles then thats a big mistake that shouldnt be over looked.
ReplyDeleteI think that it's not a big deal. Planes are so automated now that even though the pilots payed absolutely no attention to their jobs, no one got hurt. If a bus driver fell asleep, that would be a big issue. However, if I were those two pilot's boss, I would fire them and make sure they never fly a plane again.
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