alaska airlines pilot passes out/copilot lands safely

[sevenstrokeroll]

we need to discuss this as info becomes available.

[Ballywalter Flyer]

First officer trained / type rated / and employed to fly this particular aircraft. Though his workload would have been raised, this should be a non event.
Hope captain was ok

[Joker's Wild]

You have to admit though, it does offer yet another good opportunity to discuss why it is so absolutely vital to have properly recruited, trained and capable F/O's in the other seat.

Too bad John Q. Public isn't more aware of what is happening all too often in today's "modern" airline world.

[Blind Squirrel]

SEATTLE -- A medical emergency on an Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle to Las Vegas led to an emergency landing Tuesday evening.

About a half-hour before landing, the co-pilot on Alaska Flight 606 fainted and was unconscious for a moment, according to Bobbie Egan of Alaska Air.

The plane was on auto-pilot at the time, and after the captain radioed ahead for emergency landing priority, the flight landed safely at McCarran Airport at 5:26 p.m. Co-pilot faints on flight from Seattle | Local & Regional | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | KOMO News (http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Co-pilot-faints-on-Seattle-to-Las-Vegas-flight-187996941.html)

[deefer dog]

we need to discuss this as info becomes available.

Why? Sorry, but this is a non-event, and in any case it appears that it was the co-pilot who fainted.

Had it been the captain, so what? Isn't that why aircraft are crewed by two pilots? It needs to be a quiet news day to get a discussion moving on this topic.

[Blind Squirrel]

Actually, the incident in which the FO passed out (mentioned in my post above) was on January 22. In this one, it was the captain.

Two such incidents in so short a time may be indeed coincidence. But also maybe not.

[pigboat]

Did they have the fish or the chicken?

[captjns]

If it were the F/O who has lots of hours of PIC time before joining Alaska, a non event event, as compared to if it were a newly released puppy flying in Euroland or Asia.

Training for F/Os in the event of incapacitated skippers if usually an autoland.

[deefer dog]

Training for F/Os in the event of incapacitated skippers if usually an autoland.

Can you back up that statement with examples of which airlines predicate that? And what does it say about training?

[sevenstrokeroll]

First off, I object to this being moved out of NEWS...it made headlines on TV on at least two networks in the USA> IT IS NEWS.

SEcond off, it is not a ''non event''. Especially as it comes out another pilot passed out on another flight a few weeks ago on the same airline.

And as to a joke which can make you pass out...it goes like this.

MY DOG HAS NO NOSE

HOW DOES HE SMELL?




AWFUL.

[avionimc]

sevenstrokeroll: ...it made headlines on TV on at least two networks IT IS NEWS
Sadly, that speaks of the state of the news media.
Do you still believe what is said/shown on TV?

It's a non event.

[ImbracableCrunk]

Training for F/Os in the event of incapacitated skippers if usually an autoland.

Can you back up that statement with examples of which airlines predicate that? And what does it say about training?

KAL. Captain could barely sit and watch in the sim as I, a lowly FO (with more Total Time than he) was able to cope without him. I think the training event was more for him than me.

[captjns]

deefer Dog wants:

Can you back up that statement with examples of which airlines predicate that? And what does it say about training?

As per Section A11.3.1 of my current carrier's Company Operations Manual:

Fly a completely autopilot assisted approach, and execute an autoland landing if available.

For some reason I think my former carrier, FR, contained the same language. I have not been there for some 3 years... and their manuals could have been changed.

[sevenstrokeroll]

avionimc...I do think it is an ''event''. I am a careful consumer of information and a critical analyst of the news media. I've also earned my living as a pilot since 1979 and have never seen such a problem. One time a pilot flying with me choked on a pickle in a meal...but he coughed it up and resumed his duties.

One must ask how do two pilots manage to get flu symptoms so terrible as to cause them to pass out while in the performance of their duties?

is there a problem with calling in sick at this airline?
is the rest time really adequate?
do both of these pilots have a contact/connection somewhere...had they flown together, or with a common flight attendant?

[Lookleft]

You also forgot to include the aging pilots issue. I think there will be a lot more stories of pilot incapacitation due in part to this issue as well as the other issues mentioned such as fatigue and the taking of sick leave.

[Jumbo744]

Hello guys,

why are people so shocked to learn that a COpilot is a PILOT perfectly trained to fly the aircraft just as a Captain ? Are there still airlines where the copilot never touches the controls?? Don't you use the 1 sector each rule? I see 5000h+ captain with terrible flying standards, terrible landings, awful logic compared to 800h F/Os.

[Centaurus]

Are there still airlines where the copilot never touches the controls??

Yes. Quite common in parts of Asia. In one Chinese very large airline the first officers of A330 aircraft are not permitted to take off and land until they have flown the A330 for five years. In one Indonesia very large carrier, all first officers are banned from conducting take off and landings. These is a recent event following QAR audits involving low hour pilots and heavy landings, tail strikes, landing long etc.

[sevenstrokeroll]

jumbo 744

no one is being critical of copilots in this case. indeed, the very definition of copilot is : a fully qualified pilot acting as second in command of an aircraft.

I had to laugh at your 5000 hour captain and 800 hour copilot statement though. I got hired at my big US airline with over 5000 hours and started as a copilot.

the alaska situation does beg the question: should all pilots have a flu vaccine, and did these men have the innoculation.?

[captjns]

One can be guaranteed that the FO from Alaska Airlines is not fresh from the puppy mill.

[Jumbo744]

thanks for the replies.

But, for those copilots not being allowed to do any takeoffs or landings until they have seated in the cockpit for 5 years....how do they get experience? how do they get a good feel of the aircraft? how do they maintain their proficiency?

it must be horrible to work as a copilot for these airlines

[Squadronbrat]

This practice should be illegal. What about landing currency? Will they be put (have to pay for) the sim every 90 days?