There is no one normally more critical of Ryanair than I am, but in this case a Ryanair pilot has acted flawlessly in a very difficult situation.
Fifteen minutes from Derry means thirty minutes from Stansted, so it is hardly a transatlantic flight. In the case of an incapacitation the surviving pilot has 3 priorities - safety, safety and safety! If the FO was relatively inexperienced he would understandably wish to land at the most familiar airport, with the longest runway and the least hassle. There is no doubt that this would be a hugely stressful experience for him and, as all pilots know, that would significantly increase the chance of a serious error being made. His job is to get the aircraft safely on the ground and he has done just that. Instead of us debating a young FO's decision to land at a tricky airport, running of the end off the runway and passengers being killed or injured, we are debating a non-event. That is how we want it. I think he is to be commended for his actions and he did exactly the right thing.
Last edited by Norman Stanley Fletcher; 25th Sep 2006 at 15:19.