"Maxwell" wrote in message
news:paVRh.17603$YJ4.7598@newsfe23.lga...
>
> "Alan S" wrote in message
> news:fp6g13tkmb9t7lntd4d5ed4ab4gt9rq3nj@4ax.com...
>> On Sat, 7 Apr 2007 14:43:38 -0400, "Dudley Henriques"
>> wrote:
>>
>>>The real issue here isn't the language used by the pilot per se'. The
>>>issue
>>>of importance is the pilot's emotional and mental state leading up to a
>>>take
>>>off which the language indicated. This is why the FAA got him off the
>>>flight
>>>and probably why, after the hearing, he will no longer be employed by
>>>Northwest.
>>>Frankly, its a good thing they discovered this. Whatever it was he was
>>>involved with on that phone, it wasn't consistent with normal flight
>>>safety
>>>procedures.
>>>Dudley Henriques
>>
>> Agreed. I wouldn't want to have been on that flight if it
>> had taken off with him in command. However, it does
>> reinforce the need for airlines to have reserve pilots
>> available for situations like this.
>>
>> Pilots can become unavailable for all sorts of reasons at
>> short notice; medical, sobriety, or just simple stuff-ups.
>> Major airlines at major terminals should be able to plan for
>> such cases. We had a situation last year at LAX where AA's
>> scheduled captain for a LAX-HNL flight didn't turn up at all
>> - because he was at his own retirement party and the
>> management hadn't realised that. We waited three hours while
>> they got an off-duty pilot out of bed and he drove 90 miles
>> to LAX to take us to Hawaii. The busiest airline in America
>> at the second-busiest airport didn't have a short-notice
>> pilot available qualified as an over-water captain.
>>
>> Just how expensive would it be for the majors to have a
>> short-notice pilot on call at each major terminal for each
>> of the most common aircraft types? It should even be
>> possible to have a pool system across companies if organised
>> properly.
>>
>
> What is the world are you thinking, that makes total sense. Something that
> most Airline management is real short on.
>
>
You mean a Captain qualified in all aircraft for all types of flight?
Overwater, cat III current, 747-400, 737, 757, airbus, everything? Probably
have to have at least three to cover all shifts.
Al G
|