Expensive lesson
In this job we never stop learning by doing. Doing business is opening the option to do mistakes. Most of them never surface, some of them do. This one was a classic one. Relaxed climate during cruise, about two hours to land and nothing felt as a threat until the call of nature came and the scenario started to roll.
When one Pilot leaves the Cockpit for whatever reason the remaining one briefs the returning one on any changes. During the absence of one Pilot the remaining one should not change anything by his own desire to avoid mistakes. If ATC requests any changes the remaining Pilots carries them out and informs the returning Pilot of the changes. So far to the theorie, what is the reality? Do you feel boored by the information? if nothing happend then there is nothing to say but in dense Airspace US/EU, Asia there is allways something going on and it is worth to have a thought about it and brief, shortly to returning Pilot. Usualy that is also good to recover and refresh the memory.
Do I blame to two Pilots for that? Not at all, mistakes happend in the past and I feel sorry that the two have to face the anger of the Management who gotīs shaken up by the bill of the Tricolore AirForce. They are in good company because others got a bill in the past and, I am sorry to say, there will be more bills sent in the future as well.
Due to the higher security requirements, whatever that means, the loss of communication is now handeld more serious then ten years ago. A Airplane what is not responding to ATC calls is now watched more closely from Air Defence unit then ever before. The 9/11 got them off guard. They want, and must, ensure that this is not happening again. the 12/25th, a well selected day, was nearly another disaster for the security community again. They now gear up and I am confident that the next surprise comes again. I pray it will not claim lives again or harm anyone. The shock is enough pain. This industrie is learning by doing...........
Fly safe and land happy
NG