Flight Canceled After Pilot's Outburst

NF Reporter · 04-08-2007, 02:35 AM

A Northwest Airlines flight was canceled because the pilot was yelling obscenities during a cell phone conversation while people were boarding, and cursed one passenger.

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waltky · 12-21-2007, 09:32 PM

Other aviation mayhem...

Forget Weather, Airlines Cause Own Delays
Dec. 21, 2007 - Pilot shortages, long refuelings and mechanical breakdowns are root of delays.

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Flight delays caused by airline glitches are now creating longer passenger slowdowns than congestion in the skies, a USA TODAY analysis shows. The data call into question a long-held notion about air travel delays - that bad weather and heavy air traffic cause the bulk of the waits that passengers endure. The newspaper's analysis shows that airline problems, such as pilot shortages, taking too long to refuel and mechanical breakdowns, are as much at the root of delays as anything else.

Airline issues triggered 23.8 million minutes of delay through October this year, according to the federal Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). Delays attributed to the congested air-traffic system, the next largest cause, were 23.3 million. Overall, the number of flights delayed because of congestion was slightly higher. But the average length of delay was longer for airline-caused holdups: 55 minutes compared to 47. That was a first since data have been collected.

"It's symptomatic of an entire system out of control right now," said Darryl Jenkins, an academic and airline consultant. Jenkins and others say that one of the chief reasons that airlines are causing more delays is that they have cut staffing dramatically to respond to the financial woes encountered after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. In recent months, many carriers have begun adding employees, Jenkins said.

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Study: Airport Screening Process Pointless
Dec. 20, 2007 - Despite Long Lines and Numerous Security Restrictions a Study Says Flying Isn't Any Safer

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Airport security lines can annoy passengers, but there is no evidence that they make flying any safer, U.S. researchers reported Thursday. A team at the Harvard School of Public Health could not find any studies showing whether the time-consuming process of X-raying carry-on luggage prevents hijackings or attacks. They also found no evidence to suggest that making passengers take off their shoes and confiscating small items prevented any incidents.

The Transportation Security Administration told research teams requesting information their need for quick new security measures trumped the usefulness of evaluating them, Eleni Linos, Elizabeth Linos, and Graham Colditz reported in the British Medical Journal. "We noticed that new airport screening protocols were implemented immediately after news reports of terror threats," they wrote.

"Even without clear evidence of the accuracy of testing, the Transportation Security Administration defended its measures by reporting that more than 13 million prohibited items were intercepted in one year," the researchers added. "Most of these illegal items were lighters." The researchers said it would be interesting to apply medical standards to airport security. Screening programs for illnesses like cancer are usually not broadly instituted unless they have been shown to work.

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waltky · 03-27-2008, 02:53 AM

Bullet Pierced Plane: Pilot Suspended...

Trigger-Happy Pilot's Bullet Pierced Cockpit Wall
March 26, 2008 : Pilot Was Registered to Have Gun Under the TSA's Federal Flight Deck Officer Program

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A US Airways pilot who accidentally discharged his gun in a plane's cockpit during a Saturday flight from Denver to Charlotte, N.C., has since been suspended, according to a spokesman for the airline. Government aviation sources say a bullet was discharged by the pilot in the left seat, pierced the left side of the aircraft's cockpit wall and exited the aircraft, but the hole did not result in depressurization of the cabin. The Airbus A319 landed safely and without any injuries to the 124 passengers on board, a spokesman for the TSA told ABCNews.com.

"There have been a number of studies that have made clear that it's highly unlikely that a round discharged in an aircraft's cabin can cause any major failure," said the TSA spokesman, who added that no other damage to the plane has been discovered so far in the investigation. The TSA said the passengers were unaware that a gun had been fired in the cockpit. The pilot, who both the TSA and US Airways declined to identify, was a member of the Federal Flight Deck Officer program, an initiative put in place after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The initiative allows authorized members of cockpit crews to carry weapons on board.

"There are thousands of federal flight deck officers and this has never happened before," said the spokeswoman. "This was probably a bit of a fluke." The pilot in question has since been removed from the Federal Flight Deck Officer program pending the investigation, a TSA spokesman told ABCNews.com.

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Taking the Terror Threat Out of Flying
March 26, 2008 - A new laser defense system would protect against surface-to-air missiles.

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A laser defense system designed to protect airliners from the threat of surface-to-air missiles, is ready to be deployed on commercial jets, Northrop Grumman announced today. Terrorist organizations have let it be known that they would use their shoulder-launched surface-to-air-missiles, otherwise known as man portable air defense systems (MAN PADS), to attack commercial aircraft. To counter these threats, the Department of Homeland Security asked if current military technology could also protect our commercial jets.

Northrop Grumman announced today that it has completed a 14-month test of a commercial anti-missile system — the Guardian System — and it's ready to be deployed. FedEx provided 11 commercial planes and Northwest Airlines gave operational and maintenance help for 23,000 hours of operating time, crossing the country to 51 airports. The technology is contained in a seven-foot canoe-shaped "pod," weighing 500 pounds, attached to the belly of the plane, with "eyes" that can scan 360 degrees at all times and a turret housing a laser that disables the missile, according to Northrop Grumman.

According to Jack Pledger, director of business development for Northrop Grumman, the eyes on the pod "continually stare. They never blink. "When they see a missile, they turn the turret toward the missile, lock on to the missile and track it," he said. "When they determine it really is a missile, they activate an eye-safe laser and jam the guidance system of the missile, turning it away from the airplane." The Guardian System pod is self-contained and does not require any action on the part of the flight crew to engage.

More ABC News: Taking the Terror Threat Out of Flying

waltky · 04-02-2008, 03:49 AM

Pilots Packing Heat More Than You Think...

More than 10% of pilots allowed to fly armed
1 Apr.`08 - TSA Expects Number to Grow; Aviation Experts Surprised

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More than one in 10 of the nation's airline pilots are cleared to carry a handgun while flying, and the number will continue to grow, according to a Transportation Security Administration projection. The TSA, which has declined to disclose the number of armed pilots, revealed in a recent budget document that 10.8% of airline crewmembers were authorized to carry guns.

The Federal Air Marshal Service, a TSA agency that runs the armed-pilots program, reports that 85,000 to 90,000 pilots and crewmembers flying domestic passenger and cargo planes are eligible to carry a gun. That puts the number of armed pilots at about 9,500 — a figure Air Marshal spokesman Nelson Minerly did not dispute. The marshal service keeps the exact number confidential.

The TSA projects the program to grow to 16.5% of eligible pilots by the year 2011. Aviation experts were surprised and alarmed that so many pilots are toting guns in the sky.

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Will Rookies Be Running Control Towers?
April 1, 2008 - Air Traffic Controllers Say Mass Retirements Could Stress System

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Air traffic controllers like Jack Bowers and David Brown are responsible for making sure pilots aren't flying blind. But on a cloudy day this winter in St. Louis, that's exactly what was happening. A small-plane pilot in the skies above St. Louis had ice on his wings and had missed two approaches to the airport. He then missed two more approaches into a second airport as weather worsened.

With two hours worth of guidance from Bowers and Brown, the shaky pilot eventually landed at the third airport he aimed for. "It was terrifying because it's very rare that a pilot says he cannot control the airplane," Brown said. "In 16 years, I would say this was by far the scariest situation I have ever dealt with."

Bowers, who has been an air traffic controller for 25 years and a pilot for 35, said he, too, has seen many close calls, but was nonetheless worried. "I was concerned," Bowers said. "It wasn't dark yet, but the dark was coming. There wasn't a lot of better weather anywhere around."

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waltky · 04-03-2008, 02:39 AM

Inspector Says FAA, Airlines Too Cozy...

Too Close for Comfort?
April 2, 2008 - FAA Finds Airlines Comply With Safety Checks, but Inspections Draw Fire; Ex-inspectors say FAA supervisors sometimes ignored safety check findings.

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Former airline inspectors like Bill McNease are not confident that the Federal Aviation Administration is putting safety first. While working as an FAA operations inspector for FedEx, McNease worried that some pilots were flying more often than was allowed under federal rules. But when he went to his supervisor after learning that no one was keeping tabs on those hours, McNease received an unsettling response.

"I asked him directly, again, 'What do you want me to do about this investigation?'" McNease recalled. "And he said, in no uncertain terms, 'Just forget about it. I don't want you to do anything about it. Leave it alone.'" The former inspector's suggestion that his findings were swept under the rug highlights the intense scrutiny that the FAA continues to face this week about its inspection and safety procedures.

McNease is among several current and former inspectors scheduled to testify on Thursday at a hotly anticipated hearing on Capitol Hill. They plan to tell lawmakers that they have been pressured to downplay problems and to for go enforcement actions because the FAA is too concerned about supporting the airlines it regulates.

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Airline Pays Passengers to Fly
April 1, 2008 - Flybe Pays 172 People to Fly Across England and the Irish Sea to Meet a Target

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Flybe has given the term low-fare airline an entirely new meaning: it is paying 172 people to fly back and forth across England and the Irish Sea to help it meet a target for passenger numbers at Norwich airport. Flybe was narrowly falling short of a target to deliver at least 15,000 passengers on the Dublin-Norwich route in the 12 months ending on Monday, which meant it would have to forego a 280,000 pound ($550,000) rebate from the airport.

After the airport rejected a request for a partial rebate for almost hitting the target, Flybe hired 172 temps for 30-40 pounds each, plus a free bar and in-flight entertainment, though it admitted "it probably sounds like an early April fool." But Richard Jenner, managing director of the airport in eastern England, called the British carrier's move "ludicrous" and said the target had to be met by regular fare-paying passengers.

"The ludicrousness is on the Norwich side who in essence have tried to hold us to ransom, putting at risk routes into Norwich," Flybe Chief Commercial Officer Mike Rutter replied in a joint interview with Jenner on Irish public broadcaster RTE.

Source

sunken · 04-03-2008, 08:15 PM

The more I hear about planes, security and craziness like drunken and armed pilots who shoot off the gun in the cockpit makes me want to fly even less. I haven't gotten in an airplane in 25 years and I hope to not have to get in one now.

As far as the photocop, there are circumstances where running the light may be warranted, but you get the opportunity to present that in court rather than just pay the fine and the judge can forget it. Admittedly, it probably doesn't happen often, but sometimes a medical emergency might prompt someone to skip the light. If you just ran through the light to ignore it, then a ticket should be in your lap as that is way to get yourself and other cars' passengers killed.

waltky · 04-04-2008, 05:03 PM

Granny says, "Dey shoulda `spected the planes whilst dey was grounded after 9/11...

United grounds 777s, cancels flights amid airline inspections
Friday, April 4, 2008 - Air travelers in the U.S. have endured longer lines, more delays and the loss of amenities like meals and blankets. Now they are getting hit with a wave of schedule disruptions caused by airlines scrambling amid increased regulatory scrutiny to ensure that the expanding air transport system stays safe.

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The latest complication came Wednesday, when United Airlines temporarily grounded dozens of Boeing 777s to test their cargo fire-suppression systems. United said it canceled 41 flights and delayed dozens of others as it carried out work on the long-haul jets after a review of maintenance records showed that a test on a bottle in the fire suppression system hadn't been performed.

The move affected thousands of passengers around the world, as United's 777s mostly fly international routes from its major hubs. Among those grounded was a 777 used by many members of the White House press corps, who were traveling with President George W. Bush in Romania -- though it wasn't set to fly again until Friday.

Schedule foul-ups due to inspections have been commonplace since early March, including hundreds of flights canceled last week by American Airlines and Delta Air Lines as they checked wiring bundles on some planes. Stepped-up inspections began when the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a check of maintenance records at all domestic carriers after revelations surfaced about missed safety inspections at Southwest Airlines Co.

The FAA said Wednesday that four U.S. airlines are under investigation for failing to comply with federal aviation regulations, but would not name the carriers. Officials said three airlines had missed inspection deadlines and that penalties could be levied, though it would be several months before the probe was complete.

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B-1 bomber burns on runway in Qatar
4 Apr.`08 - Bomber burned after landing at al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar; Crew was able to evacuate aircraft safely, military says; Al-Udeid Air Base has the military's longest runway in the Middle East

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A U.S. Air Force B-1 bomber caught fire Friday after a landing at al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, U.S. military officials said. The crew evacuated safely, the officials said. They said the fire began while the plane was taxiing after landing about 9:10 p.m. at al-Udeid, the headquarters of U.S. military air operations for the Middle East. Officials said the fire on the bomber was contained. A military board of inquiry has been appointed to investigate the incident, they said.

The officials said initial reports said the plane crashed at the headquarters of the U.S. military's air operations for the Middle East. The B-1B Lancer is widely used by the U.S. military to bomb targets over Iraq and Afghanistan. It carries a host of satellite and laser-guided bombs and is able to remain over targets for long periods of time to assist in close-air support for troops on the ground. In December 2001, a B-1 crashed while returning from a bombing run over Afghanistan to a British base on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia.

Originally designed to speed nuclear bombs into Cold War Russia, the B-1 was retooled to become a long-range bomber able to carry more conventional bombs, allowing it to hit more targets over a wider area.
advertisement Al-Udeid, about 20 miles south of Qatar's capital of Doha, has the military's longest runway in the Middle East. About 3,300 U.S. troops, mostly Army, are stationed at the base.

Source

Eagle One · 07-19-2008, 06:59 AM

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(CNN) -- Northwest Airlines canceled a flight with 180 passengers aboard after the pilot began cursing at passengers while the plane was being prepared for takeoff in Las Vegas on Friday, airline officials and witnesses said.

The cancellation disrupted Easter travel plans for many of the passengers.

From the moment the captain stepped aboard Flight 1190 to Detroit, passengers reported hearing him use "animated" language while talking on his cell phone, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor told CNN.

"He was having a fit, swearing up a storm," a passenger on the flight said. "He was saying 'F this' and 'F that.'"

When confronted about it by passengers, the pilot became "obscene" and began cursing at the customers, she said. "He made a big disturbance."

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police and the local FAA flight standards office were notified, Gregor said. Police arrived on the scene, pulled the pilot aside and interviewed him.

He was not administered a field sobriety test. CNN was unable to immediately contact the police officers involved.

The FAA officials called Northwest Airlines headquarters. The airline decided to remove the pilot from the aircraft and fly him to Detroit for further questioning.

Northwest Airlines then canceled the flight, apologized for the delay and offered hotel accommodations and penalty-free re-booking on the next available flight out of Las Vegas, a spokesman for the airline said.

The airline said "a review of the matter" was being conducted and the decision to cancel the flight was made "due to reports of inappropriate language by a crew member."

Mike Fergus, an FAA spokesman, said the FAA's flight standards investigation unit was looking into the incident. According to Fergus, the FAA has the authority to send a "letter of admonition" to the pilot or, in the most extreme cases, revoke a pilot's FAA certificate, which would ground the pilot.

"I had to call and cancel two family dinners and we're stuck here an extra night," a passenger said. "We've been at the airport for six hours waiting -- it's chaos. It's Easter weekend...we want to be home."

F-this, F-that, F-him, lol. The story doesn't say what the pilot's problem was, but I hope he isn't allowed to fly a plane until he learns to control himself. He might have been thinking about flying the plane into his ex-wife's house.