Egyptair/Air Botswana/Silkair/Royal Air Maroc/ Malaysian 370?/J.A.L, etc.etc
Sadly there have already been documented a number of pilot suicides in the air which have taken the lives of many passengers. This is the first Western one that I am aware of. Equally there have been a number of cases of both young and middle-aged pilots taking their own lives on their own, either on the ground or airborne and solo. In an average population, suicide does happen regularly. It is inevitable that the same risk applies to the pilot profession.
Calm thinking is needed following this relatively rare episode. There is no quick solution to this awful possibility if one wants to maintain a secure flight deck from terrorists. Access to disturbed pilots and cabin staff is always there, locked door or otherwise. But a repeat of 9/11 is waiting to happen if vigilance is relaxed on flight deck access. That was far worse in absolute numbers and remains so.
Sad business.
Last edited by RoyHudd; 26th Mar 2015 at 15:20.
Reason: Grammar