iPads have quickly replaced gigantic flight manuals in cockpits across the globe, but all that easy access to information, photos and loads of games nearly proved fatal on a recent Jet Airways flight that took an unexpected dip over a busy air route to Europe .
The two Jet Airways pilots were suspended after the plane they were flying from Mumbai to Brussels plunged 5,000 as the pilot dozed off while the co-pilot was busy playing on her iPad.
Turkish air traffic controllers noticed the plane took a sharp dive, putting it at the same altitude assigned to another plane, and immediately alerted the co-pilot, who was busy looking at flight information on her iPad. The captain was on a scheduled break during the long flight to Brussels, but regained control of the plane after being awakened by the co-pilot.
None of the 280 passengers on board were hurt, but India’s air regulation agency, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has termed it a “serious incident” and initiated a probe into the incident.
Along with suspending the two pilots, a three-member team has been created to review the airline’s flight training programs, and DGCA has also directed the airline to come forward with all the records from the plane’s flight recorder. You know, to make sure the co-pilot wasn’t really just getting in a few dates on Kim Kardashians: Hollywood.
Via: India Express
Buster Hein is a freelance writer who lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Twitter: @bst3r.
17 responses to “Plane plunges 5,000 feet while co-pilot plays with her iPad”
‘dosed’ off?
thats normal.. you don’t need to have both awake.. hence you have a co pilot.
I was commenting on the ‘dosed off’, as opposed to dozed off
“but regained control of the plane after being awaken”
Awakened.
Look out, Leander. I am going to start charging for the work that I do for Cult Of Mac.
This article is by Buster.
Awkward.
I am confused.. why does the co pilot have to wake the pilot? just grab the yoke and pull up.. another confusion, did auto pilot stop working? I don’t care if they play on iPhones or iPads.. but make sure auto pilot is engaged..
They don’t know about “automatic pilot”? What’s wrong with them?
Trying to over sensationalize it.
I’m confused. On one hand it says the copilot was “playing” with the iPad. Then it goes on to say the copilot was looking up flight information (on the iPad?)
That doesn’t sound like “playing” to me.
This whole story sounds like sensational crap
It is way too confusing and not very well explained. My first thought after reading the blog was that there was something missing. Something doesn’t add up.
“was busy looking at flight information” and just how do they know this is the truth?
And since when is looking at flight information the same as “playing with her iPad”? This was not a well-edited blog entry.
Did the autopilot fail or was it on manual control?
Way too much missing information. On straight and level flight, the autopilot is engaged which flies the plane. Even if both pilots fall asleep, the plane should continue on at the same speed and altitude unless a severe downdraft should occur, but even then, the autopilot should be able to automatically regain altitude and direction unless loss of power or some other physical mechanical or electronic problem was present. There are lots of holes in this article, yet it’s made out to be that the copilot was goofing off. How about the full story?
What????!!!!! What is a female doing in a cockpit???!!!!!
That’s what you get when you let a woman drive…
Another stupid female! These morons give feminism a bad name.