City Star pilot criticised for sightseeing diversion

[UKpaxman]

Bet there wasn't much cockpit banter on the return leg...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/6429651.stm

[Newforest]

The pilot was 61 years old? What happened to the 60 retirement limit?

[lordsummerisle]

I may be wrong, but think that only applies to Europe? Remember that we had a Captain a few years ago that could fly as a Captain on domestic routes, but anything within Europe only as a co-pilot. Have a feeling it may have only been France as well, but rules could have changed.

[ETOPS]

The pilot was 61 years old? What happened to the 60 retirement limit?

Wake up a the back there Newforest

The retirement age increased to 65 last year !

[skianyn vannin]

I wonder if this was the same clown who got the sack (sorry made redundant) from BA Connect last year for doing the same thing. The age would be about right and I understand he later secured a job with citystar.

Anyone who wants to, can read about it in AAIB bulletin. The aircraft reg was GNVSB I think.

[Mr R Sole]

Eh.... sightseeing diversion? Think that is a bit far fetched!

[islandhopper]

Ahhhh them were the days--we just pulled the cb's before them sightseeing trips!!!!!!!!!:=

[False Capture]

skianyn vannin,

I thought the same as you. I assume you're refering to the clown who still thinks he's fighting the war in 'Nam.:ugh:

[Nil further]

It would indeed appear to be the "same clown" covered in the Glasgow Herald today ,sorry i dont have the link.

[TheShadow]

I'm in fact doing a study on crews/pilots who've been punished/suspended/censured/reprimanded for not responding to patently false avionics warnings (TCAS/EGPWS/wind-shear alerts etc):
.
a. see this link (http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2007/03/09/a_new_risk_enters_the_skies/)
Obviously the new parallel runway at Logan will be generating plenty of these TCAS warnings.
.
b. Seem to recall a 2003 incident on mid-finals at Johanneshurg where a BA 747 crew didn't go round on receiving an EGPWS warning in eight/eighths blue - and were suspended, censured and retrained.
.
Anybody know of any similar instances?
.
Anybody apprehensive about the forthcoming new generation of weather radars with built-in turbulence avoidance directives?
.

[flash8]

AAIB Bulletin: 9/2005 G-NVSB EW/G2005/03/31 is what you are looking for.

Quote: "Significant discrepancy exists regarding each pilot’s recall of the EGPWS event."

Yeh. Where have I heard that before?

If I'd been that FO I'd have been scared ****less. The Commander quite patently doesn't belong anywhere near an a/c.

[BOAC]

b. Seem to recall a 2003 incident on mid-finals at Johanneshurg where a BA 747 crew didn't go round on receiving an EGPWS warning in eight/eighths blue - and were suspended, censured and retrained.
- Shadow - possibly misleading now. Somewhere around 2003 the BA SOP for EGPWS 'relaxed' to allow non-action in day/VMC when pos can be identified and is safe. Up to then it was a mandatory g/a regardless. I believe one pilot had one at around 50' over a runway in Germany (day/VMC) in the flare and (correctly) went round.

[Strepsils]

He's been more than criticised, he's been sacked according to one national newspaper.

[DB6]

Nearly flying into Fitful Head in marginal conditions isn't really explainable away at the hats-on interview.
Link is http://www.aaib.dft.gov.uk/publications/bulletins/march_2007/dornier_328_100__tf_csb.cfm

[Say again s l o w l y]

Hats on? I reckon there would be a bit of an axminster shuffle over this one! To say it was a daft thing to do is a wee bit of an understatement.

I'm used to EGPWS warnings requiring an instant reaction unless they can "immediately disregarded." i.e in gin clear conditions and an obviously spurious warning.

[skianyn vannin]

Hi False Capture

absolutely right. I suspect he still thinks he's chasing down the VietCong in his Huey. Heard on the grapevine he now lives out in Thailand, so a bit closer to the battlefields now.

And for those of you who think these GPWS warnings were false, whilst I can't comment on the Sumburgh incident, the one at Fraggle Rock was definitely for real. A colleague of mine was positioning down the back and thought they were going to hit the side of a hill. All he could hear was the GPWS going off and no attempt to pull up!

[omnidirectional737]

Re CMF you can get a sink rate if you maintain the glide or a glideslope if you fly it with 3 reds. But the CAA have given dispensation to not file an ASR's if you get a GPWS due to the approach geometry.

[chevvron]

Back in the '70s, it was the norm for the BEA Viscount to transit VFR at 500ft in this part of the world (weather permitting). You get a wonderful view of Scapa Flow from 500ft from the flight deck.
Then there was a trip to Barbados I did with BWIA in an A340. It was Christmas Day, and the Captain flew VFR down the west coast of the island at about 1500ft, left wing down all the way so all passengers got a good view.

[TheShadow]

I seem to also recall that a year or two ago there was a spurious TCAS RA scenario generated between a QANTAS airplane and a GA aircraft in a New Zealand circuit at low-level. (Auckland/Christchurch?)

Was there ever a Pprune thread on that?

[Basil]

chevvron,
Used to fly them which is why I'd reserve judgement on this guy's incident.
The Abbey on Iona, Fingal's Cave, the Old Man, aaahhh.

[Basil]

ST,
Great pic - v robust engines - ate birds :}

[roundwego]

One report alleges the captain had previously retired from his job on health grounds after almost crashing a plane on the Isle of Man in March 2005. Any truth in this?

[JW411]

So was it an 802, 806 or an 806X?

Could anyone in the know tell me if the recalcitrant pilot was someone that I knew years ago with the initials TP who once flew for Air America?

[Hansard]

I too would like to know if it's someone I remember. The name P-------- sprang to mind when I read the reports.

[anotherspaceman]

roundwego

Absolutely no truth whatsoever in that allegation - he left on the mutual understanding that if he didn't leave he would get sacked for nearly crashing a Dash 8 on the Isle of Man in March 2005!

JW411

No - his initials RO an ex nam helio pilot from Virginia - who always wore cowboy boots on the flightdeck - probably would have carried a Colt 45 but.........

See AAIB Bulletin: 9/2005 G-NVSB EW/G2005/03/31

The F/o involved has moved on into BA. He was unfairly painted in poor light by the asshole in the LHS - shame

[JW411]

anotherspaceman:

Thank you for that - I am greatly relieved.

[thecontroller]

theres more here....

link (http://www.theregister.com/2007/03/12/sightseeing_tour/)

[Right Way Up]

His intention was to carry out a steady climb to re-establish on the correct glide path, but became concerned about the effect the persistent and loud “PULL UP” hard warning would have on the passengers sitting at the front of the cabin, so announced a go-around. Courtesy AAIB Bulletin 2005.

Words fail me.....