Comments on: Did Pilots “Forget” to Land Airliner… or Were They Just Catching up on some ZZZZZZZZZ’s?

By: Mac Guy

Mac Guy — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:26:36 +0000

FAA just revoked their licenses.

http://foxnews.com/story/0,2933,569867,00.html

By: metakid

metakid — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:10:36 +0000

This is an incident that makes for great conspiracy theory materials. LOL. That aside, I think being a pilot is a job that requires being constantly alert and fresh. I thought this video has got some interesting points about napping and how that can work out: http://www.newsy.com/videos/mid_air_mistake_sparks_debate_on_pilot_naps

By: Rick Cain

Rick Cain — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:54:22 +0000

Of course airline executives would never take a pay cut. The pilots must take one first and then run double shifts to cover their finances.

America sucks.

By: The Grammar Police

The Grammar Police — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 03:50:47 +0000

#21: “Could you explain the redundant (read: grammatically incorrect) apostrophe in “ZZZZZZZZ’s”?” — adnium

Although the use of an apostrophe in “ZZZZZZZZ’s” is grammatically incorrect, it is technically not redundant. (Here’s a link to a good explanation on what I’m talking about)

redundant = superfluous, verbose, or tautological ≠ inherently incorrect

But then again… “ZZZZZZZZ’s” should probably be written “Z’s” or “Zs” to avoid the apostrophe issue entirely.

By: No fly zone

No fly zone — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:20:34 +0000

Sex in the cockpit? With who? Each other? The cockpit door is locked and opened until the plane has landed. If both pilots died, no one would even know, nor could anyone else even land the plane.

By: adnium

adnium — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:53:09 +0000

Could you explain the redundant (read: grammatically incorrect) apostrophe in “ZZZZZZZZ’s”?

By: McCullough

McCullough — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:37:55 +0000

One word…Texting. But seriously, I’m surprised they don’t have cameras monitoring the cockpit AND the cabin these days.

By: eeeer

eeeer — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:32:56 +0000

I’m sure Adam will be all over this, he being a total authority on all aviation because he has a private pilot’s license.

I’m sure he’ll say it’s utterly impossible for them to have gone to sleep, or have had an argument, or anything other than….you guessed it…”something funny’s going on here”.

By: Animby

Animby — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 10:03:31 +0000

# 3 freddybobs68k said, “In ‘Capitalism: A love story’ they show commercial pilots who earn <$20k a year."

Oh, well, if Mikey Moore said it, it must be true! Maybe they were Cuban commercial pilots? I doubt you will find many US airline pilots earning less than 20K per year. The term commercial does not necessarily mean pilots who fly passengers. Think crop dusters and cargo and mail carriers in Alaska.

How embarrassing for you, though, telling people you watch Moore's films!

By: Glenn E.

Glenn E. — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 06:29:55 +0000

Hmmm. Or…. maybe the pilots came up with this plan to bring attention to their working conditions. Because they’re not getting any news coverage, merely griping about it. Is it merely a coincidence this came days after the “Balloon Boy” story? A runaway balloon with a child on board. And now a runaway plane, with over a hundred people on board.

The pilots covered their act, by running out the Flight Recorder’s 30 minute time limit. It only recorded the last 30 minutes, it took to return the airport and land. Convenient. Their plane didn’t have one of the newer 2 hour models. That might have either recorded them sleeping, or talking about making a newsworthy example for reducing crews’ flying hours.

Back when the Air Traffic Controllers wanted to make a similar example. They first enforced the minimum following distance between landing planes. Which had been shortened by the airports, to cram in more arriving flights. Then they tried a “sick out”. And the Reagan Administration fired their asses. While these pilots aren’t federal employees. It would surprise me if the govt didn’t put some pressure on them to NOT SCREW WITH THE MAJOR CARRIERS. Or they’ll lose their pilot license, which IS govt controlled. Capishe?!

By: bobbo, international airline transport consultant

bobbo, international airline transport consultant — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 05:19:06 +0000

#14–McCullough==from what I’ve seen on TV==the media is simple “reporting” the story thats being told. Yea==falling asleep makes sense, especially if they were called out of order or what not. The rules for safety can actually set up a crew to be dead tired “but legal” to fly. Would still be unusual for both pilots to get that bad. In the same situation I could see one pilot telling the other they are going to catch a nap and to wake them in 15 minutes. Thats all it should take. I don’t believe “sex”—everyone would be too jealous/competitive to allow it and both pilots at once would be a heck of a three-way==maybe four with the autopilot, assuming no female pilot? Drugs==they tested clean.

Fell asleep, embarassed==it will come out quickly.

Voice recorder is only the 30 minutes before crash/landing so won’t be anything there unless it gets mentioned. But it doesn’t even matter==whatever it was, off with their heads.

By: Thinker

Thinker — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:42:47 +0000

Oy! It will be interesting to see what they find on the voice tapes of this flight.

I think i may just be more in favor of re-regulation of some kind.

By: McCullough

McCullough — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 02:26:02 +0000

#12. So you’re saying the media isn’t giving us the real story??? Shocked I am.

By: AdmFubar

AdmFubar — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 02:25:28 +0000

it is one of two things,

a) they fell asleep
b) or someone made the mile high club,; then see ‘a’

how can you not hear any tower calling? conversation my ass…

By: bobbo, international airline transport consultant

bobbo, international airline transport consultant — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:31:35 +0000

#9–moi==I really can’t imagine such a thing happening. No conversation lasts more than 5 minutes and few are interesting.

Its not “overflying” a point that is what the news focuses on==how about starting the descent 200 miles out? How about checking your navigational progress every checkpoint/15 minutes? How about updating destination weather an hour out? Monitoring fuel on board/time to burnout?

There is a whole lot more ((not)) going on than simply missing the destination.

THE WHOLE FRIGGING CREW????? I’d claim interdimensional kidnapping before “Interesting Conversation.”