40 minutes "unconscious" at the stick

[Okihara]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-10/pilot-loses-consciousness-while-flying-plane-over-sa/10897156

Pilot allegedly skipped breakfast but :

During the flight from Parafield to Port Augusta, the pilot only consumed a bottle of Gatorade, some water and a chocolate bar during the stopover in Port Augusta.

Pro tip: pack biltong instead and keep blood sugar under control.

[AerocatS2A]

Pro tip 2: If you're going to have a nap on autopilot, set an alarm!

[YPJT]

Avmed are probably having a field day with this.

[Burleigh Effect]

Pro tip 2: If you're going to have a nap on autopilot, set an alarm!

or invest in one of these (https://www.japantoday.com/category/tech/fujitsu-unveils-drowsiness-sensor-for-drivers)...

[Chronic Snoozer]

So many red flags, surprising the pilot did not rule themselves as 'unfit to fly'.

[ShyTorque]

Dangerous stuff then, that Gatorade.

[Capt Fathom]

Wish I could sleep for 40 mins on an aeroplane!

[john_tullamarine]

Wish I could sleep for 40 mins on an aeroplane!

.. not enough exposure to back of the clock flying, that man !

My best recollection - it was of another pilot, of course, (obviously, to protect those as guilty as sin) ... he was sound asleep and well into a fine dream .... the other pair landed the bird, taxied in, parked, shut down and left. When the loaders had finished unloading they, too, locked up, shut off the power, and left .... life definitely was a bit more relaxed in years gone by.

Seriously, though, not being sensible about glucose and sleep patterns is the height of stupidity, especially if operating single pilot.

[Capt Fathom]

40% of my hours are at night... unfortunately! :}

I subscribe whole heartedly to Aerocat2SA's theory. Single pilot, we used to run a 60 min timer,
and keep winding it forward, just in case you fell asleep.

The other trick was to tune the next DME and turn the ident volume up, for when it locked on. Scare the bloody hell out of you!

[john_tullamarine]

Single pilot, we used to run a 60 min timer,

At the risk of a pun, that rings a bell ... multicrew was much safer when the crew could schedule sensible catnap sequences and everyone was wide awake (generally) for the arrival ..

[machtuk]

Coming up to 40 Yrs driving planes, most of it shift work at all hrs often missing breakfast and having short interrupted sleep, never fallen asleep single pilot or multi crew, gotta be more to it than just missing brekky etc!

[Okihara]

How would TEM people call a healthy combination of chocolate, sugary drink and autopilot? A latent threat perhaps?

[Slippery_Pete]

Maybe deCrespigny was in the other seat talking about how great he is.

[zanthrus]

Slippery Pete wins the thread with that comment! 😂

[ShyTorque]

Coming up to 40 Yrs driving planes, most of it shift work at all hrs often missing breakfast and having short interrupted sleep, never fallen asleep single pilot or multi crew, gotta be more to it than just missing brekky etc!

Similar to me, hence my comment about Gatorade! ;)

[exfocx]

JT, was that a 4 eng TP, with the crew nicknamed after a native animal?

[machtuk]

Slippery Pete wins the thread with that comment! 😂

I'll 2nd that!:O

[runway16]

So did the pilot knock 40 minutes of his logbook time as he was not 'Pilot in Command' ?

[Okihara]

So did the pilot knock 40 minutes of his logbook time as he was not 'Pilot in Command' ?

Why no dead man switch by the way?

[john_tullamarine]

.. was that a 4 eng TP ..

So the story goes ... do we know each other from a prior life ?

[Sunfish]

Wombat Squadron? The marsupial was painted on the nose