back at it

Posted by Ikes Blog at 12/5/2009 12:34 PM
Categories: aviation
  I've waited more than a month to put in my two cents worth about something in aviation that has no room for any excuse.  It's simply that any crew can never, never, compromise the safety of the aircraft that innocent passengers are sitting in the back sipping sauce thinking their crew is looking out for them.  Case in point...Northwest flight #188 from San Diego to Minneapolis in an Airbus A-320 with 144 passengers and a crew of five 10-21-09 that over- flew its destination by 150 miles.  I won't try to hide the fact that I, personally, don't have much faith in the FAA today.  After having served as a designated examiner for twenty years (I didn't seek the designation, I was approached in the early seventies to fill a void needing qualified and experienced aviators to cover a lack of FAA employees on the payroll and accepted the assignment.)  But, my comments are not meant to criticize the entire FAA, just certain areas where I know from experience is staffed by unqualified and inexperienced bureaucrats just waiting for retirement benefits.  As far as the air traffic controllers (whom I have the greatest respect for because they continue to do their best with too few in number using an antiquated system), they were not in any way responsible for what happened to NW #188.  It was a flight crew who obviously did not tell the truth about the circumstances causing this inexcusable event that could have become a disaster.     
  I have researched all the information regarding this event and have come up with my guestimate of what most likely happened.  It wasn't being preoccupied with any lap tops or lenghthy discussion about company schedules or policies during flight, THEY WERE NOT AWAKE!  I know how something like this can happen because I have been there.  But, in my case, with a flight deck crew of at least three at all times, we rotated our nappy time so that at least two qualified flight deck crew were on duty at all times.  However, that was when we had a Captain, First Officer and Flight Engineer.  The good old days before economics dictated eliminating the third crew member to save a buck.  I knew that eventually getting rid of the third pair of eyes could cause what happened to #188.  It was in the cards.   Now what?  I hope that the FAA has the balls to say, "sorry Charlie, you ain't going to keep your ticket, you blew it.  Find another job you can sleep on."  I have no brotherhood comraderie for these guys.  With all their claimed experience they should have known better.  Further, I'm not impressed with the rest of the flight crew in the back.  Certainly they knew the flight time from San Diego to MSP and could have opened the door to the flight deck and asked, "Are we having a delay?"  Especially when the air time was so far past normal.  So I'm going to fault the entire flight crew, not just the two guys up front snoring.
  How's that for this old Captain sticking his neck out?  Replies and comments welcome. 
 

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