Rules about pilots leaving the flight deck?
While not taking 30 minutes, I do take some time to stretch my legs and have a chat with another human being, be it crew or passenger. It's a relief on a 8 hours two man flight to have some minutes of walking and seeing other people face to face instead of turned on a chair.
How long was the flight?
Personally I enjoy the solitude of being left alone on the flight deck every now and again, if there is an emergency I'll cycle the seatbelt signs or make a PA for my colleague to return to the flight deck. I also enjoy taking time to stretch my legs and walk around the cabin, say hello to the crew etc.
However, on an easyJet flight with the forward galley in full view of the passengers, I cant deny that the optics of a pilot spending an extended period in the galley are such that passengers would feel uncomfortable after a few minutes. Personally I wouldn't have stood there for so long, but given a different galley config/privacy curtain it would be a different story.
Personally I enjoy the solitude of being left alone on the flight deck every now and again, if there is an emergency I'll cycle the seatbelt signs or make a PA for my colleague to return to the flight deck. I also enjoy taking time to stretch my legs and walk around the cabin, say hello to the crew etc.
However, on an easyJet flight with the forward galley in full view of the passengers, I cant deny that the optics of a pilot spending an extended period in the galley are such that passengers would feel uncomfortable after a few minutes. Personally I wouldn't have stood there for so long, but given a different galley config/privacy curtain it would be a different story.
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Have they? In Europe? Back when the strong suggestion from EASA came (it was never a rule, i believe BA never introduced it) i was a union rep. Not only me, but the whole union was very much against the untrained, not properly security checked, after a 3 week course fully „qualified“ observer on the flightdeck rule. We had safety cases around that issue for years and they all came straight out against it. Yes, in my outfit we introduced it as well, the safety management was very clear: their safety case was against it, the rule was brought in as pure publicity stunt and quietly dropped a year later. There are airlines that still use it, mainly because they have not installed cameras and therefore need someone out of the seat to identify the person that wants to get in. They have no choice, without the camera system it is a clear requirement.
The best bit about getting out of the flight deck and chatting to F/As is a chance to get away from a nutter pilot if you’re flying with them, in the flight deck the guy has you cornered and can unload all his opinions on you about politics, finance, union stuff, his ex wives, conspiracy theories and every topic under the sun. Sometimes it’s just good to chat to a normal human being again……….
As others have mentioned, a truly suicidal pilot can crash a pilot if they are so determined regardless of how many people are on the flight deck - for example, going full nose down at 500ft. during takeoff or landing would leave no time for successful intervention. Mandating (at least) two people at all times was at best a 'feel good' PR after Germanwings.
A while back I was in first class flying Alaska Airlines somewhere - mid flight the pilots took a comfort break - one at a time of course. What I found mildly amusing was that - when the flight deck door was open, the flight attendant - a young (20ish), very pretty, rather petit flight attendant stood in the aisle - doing her best to look intimidating - to block access to any bad actors who wanted to access to the flight deck while the door was open. Purely symbolic - since unless the young lady was secretly a black belt or similar - I'm sure she wouldn't have been able to provide more than token resistance to a determined bad actor...
BTW, I do agree that - while a brief chat with a FA while taking their comfort break is acceptable, 30 minutes would be excessive...
Do Easy have CCTV on the flightdeck to see who is in the area of the cockpit door?
When I flew with another carrier the main reason for having a cabin crew member on the flight deck was to check through the spyhole (to ensure that those with mal intent were not there) when the crew member was returning to the flight deck.
(Obviously pilot on his/her own cannot vacate seat to check spyhole).
When I flew with another carrier the main reason for having a cabin crew member on the flight deck was to check through the spyhole (to ensure that those with mal intent were not there) when the crew member was returning to the flight deck.
(Obviously pilot on his/her own cannot vacate seat to check spyhole).
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Anyone who feels ii's OK for cockpit crew to hang around the galley drinking coffee or shooting the breeze with pax in the cabin mid flight is certainly someone I don't want to fly with, ever.
The best bit about getting out of the flight deck and chatting to F/As is a chance to get away from a nutter pilot if you’re flying with them, in the flight deck the guy has you cornered and can unload all his opinions on you about politics, finance, union stuff, his ex wives, conspiracy theories and every topic under the sun. Sometimes it’s just good to chat to a normal human being again……….
One minute certain folk recommend single-crew only ops, followed by pilotless flight=decks followed, in the same breath, insistence on no-one leaving the flight-deck.Few pilots amongst that lot.
Quite. All of the relevant information is just a simple internet search away.
Germanwings proved to bad actors that, if operations are according to procedure, the flight deck remains secure. It also implied that the best course of action would be to take a bit more interest in employees metal health, not shove extra people who are not pilots into the cockpit and expect them to make any difference apart from a) the flight deck door opening for twice as often as it needs to be or b) being open for twice as long, both of which are undesirable security wise and one of the reasons why the majority of airlines do not do this if they have any choice.
If there is someone in a pilot’s seat who wants to end it all, there is very little anyone can do about it, even if they are sitting next to them. Even critical mistakes/misdiagnoses with no ill intent can end up irrecoverable (AF447). The solution is to make sure people with that mindset don’t get on the aeroplane to start with.
Germanwings proved to bad actors that, if operations are according to procedure, the flight deck remains secure. It also implied that the best course of action would be to take a bit more interest in employees metal health, not shove extra people who are not pilots into the cockpit and expect them to make any difference apart from a) the flight deck door opening for twice as often as it needs to be or b) being open for twice as long, both of which are undesirable security wise and one of the reasons why the majority of airlines do not do this if they have any choice.
If there is someone in a pilot’s seat who wants to end it all, there is very little anyone can do about it, even if they are sitting next to them. Even critical mistakes/misdiagnoses with no ill intent can end up irrecoverable (AF447). The solution is to make sure people with that mindset don’t get on the aeroplane to start with.
If people are so concerned about a pilot leaving the flight deck in the cruise for a personal comfort break and even dare to engage in having a tea/coffee and chat with cabin crew then why not have three pilots on the flight deck or even four?
This would mean pilots could get a proper rest break especially on a long duty day.
Add to this bunk facilities for inflight rest on all flights.
I'm sure the passengers and the airlines would be quite happy to pay for an extra level of safety.
This would mean pilots could get a proper rest break especially on a long duty day.
Add to this bunk facilities for inflight rest on all flights.
I'm sure the passengers and the airlines would be quite happy to pay for an extra level of safety.
As SLF, it wouldn't worry me one bit if either of the flight deck crew came into the main cabin for a break during cruise flight. I'd even go so far as to say they should talk to the SLF while they're there, not just the crew, you know, make a fuss of us, show us we're special, good PR.