NTSB asks if NW pilots nodded off prior to landing

[BoeingBoy]

The point is that the officer used color coding of crew members to determine one's purpose or intent.

I must have missed the part where the officer reported that the cockpit occupants had no evil intent because they were white. All he said was that when the plane pulled into the gate the cockpit occupants were white males wearing what appeared to be DL uniforms. I suppose the officer could have just said "There were two people in the cockpit when the plane parked at the gate" but that doesn't really say what he/she saw.

We may reach the point where police will only be able to describe a suspect as "A person" to keep from upsetting someone's sensibilities. Including race, sex, or age will be labeled discrimination.

Jim

 

[Justme]

I have a question that i hope someone can help me with. with auto pilot engaged i thought the plane would automaticly begin its decent. At what point of the flight does the auto pilor get turned off and be flown by the pilots?

To add on to the Boeing answer, the Airbus will not initiate a descent from cruise altitude.

The T.O.D. is displayed on the nav display, but it is up to the pilot to initiate the descent.....now, that said, once in the descent from cruise altitude, it will level off at contraints and then continue to descend without pilot intervention when the constraint is met....just not from cruise.

jm

 

[hp_fa]

The point is that the officer used color coding of crew members to determine one's purpose or intent.

WHAT? Where on earth do you draw that conclusion? He was making as best a physical description as he could and skin color is one factor in partially identifying someone. He probably could not tell height, weight or eye color from there, nor obese or skinny. He reported what he first saw with what limited identification tools he had available until the door opened.

 

[tech2101]

"When the aircraft taxied to the gate I was able to see the two white males in the seats of the flight crew, both were wearing uniforms consistent with Delta flight crew," said a police report, signed by an Officer Starch. "When the aircraft had stopped, the male seated in the pilot seat turned, looked at me and gave me two thumbs up and shook his head indicating all was OK."


Is it me or is there a gross generalization in this statement from the Officer circa 1965?

The only part you got right is this:

Is it me

Yes, it is.

 

[phasersonstun2]

Even if the Officer received a briefing on the race of the pilots, the fact that they were white by his observation did not necessarily mean that everything was OK. Policy in hijackings is to take everyone into custody and sort things out after interrogating everyone just in case the bad guys switched clothing with the good guys. Race should have been irrelevant.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Even if the Officer received a briefing on the race of the pilots, the fact that they were white by his observation did not necessarily mean that everything was OK.

Did I miss the part where he said "They were white so I knew everything was OK."

Jim

 

[FA Mikey]

All the officer needed was a name and through NCIC they could find all the info on the pilots they needed to know thats who should be in the cockpit. After the tests by the tower and dealing with the company through ACARS and the radio. I am sure they were under the impression that everything was OK.

If anyone involved had thought differently, you would not have seen the officers and the plane wouldnt be coming to a gate. It would be over on the Navy ramp isolated and surrounded by federal authorities.

 

[BoeingBoy]

I am sure they were under the impression that everything was OK.

I presume so also. However, there seems to be some heartburn over the officer's description of the cockpit occupants as the plane pulled into the gate with the implication that the officer used solely skin color to determine that everything was OK.

Jim

 

[brokenwrench]

Not sure if the police have acces to the CASS system. But if they did or contacted sombody who does an very nice color picture of the crew members would be available to them. Based on that the Police would no doubt be expecting to see two white crew members.

 

[FWAAA]

These guys keep changing their stories. Now, instead of an intense discussion about NW policy distracting them, they've migrated to stories of bathroom breaks, chatty sexy FAs on the flight deck and laptop usage that distracted them for an hour and 18 minutes (their period of radio silence):

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/northwest...6?siteid=yhoof2

Constantly changing stories is a hallmark of untruthfulness. Somebody should remind these guys.

 

[lineguy43]

These guys keep changing their stories. Now, instead of an intense discussion about NW policy distracting them, they've migrated to stories of bathroom breaks, chatty sexy FAs on the flight deck and laptop usage that distracted them for an hour and 18 minutes (their period of radio silence):

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/northwest...6?siteid=yhoof2

Constantly changing stories is a hallmark of untruthfulness. Somebody should remind these guys.

Well normally I would feel sorry for anyone in trouble who might be losing their job. But in this case I don't feel for them. I guess now they will know how I felt in 2005 when the NW pilots not only crossed our line but actively sought to keep the planes moving thereby keeping us out of work. It will be intersting to see if ALPA can get them off the hook. I know one thing that used to get anyone fired at NW was getting caught in a lie during an investigation.

 

[tech2101]

Well normally I would feel sorry for anyone in trouble who might be losing their job. But in this case I don't feel for them. I guess now they will know how I felt in 2005 when the NW pilots not only crossed our line but actively sought to keep the planes moving thereby keeping us out of work. It will be intersting to see if ALPA can get them off the hook. I know one thing that used to get anyone fired at NW was getting caught in a lie during an investigation.

I also have a special place in my heart for those that saw me carrying a picket sign; then making sure they walked the long way around to use the other door.

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

I am still not sure if I am in "napping" or "kvetching about the merger", but will any that any airline employee who has been through a merger or two can see how the latter scenario it plausible, at least.

In the meantime, here is this article. On their laptops? Didn't know that NW has Wi-Fi!
http://www.startribune.com/business/659822...KUnciaec8O7EyUr

 

[rjh]

Why have these pilots not been fired? It doesn't matter WHAT they were doing during this time--the fact is they missed their airport. In any other job, a person would be fired immediately for a failure as big as this one.

 

[hp_fa]

Why have these pilots not been fired?

They have been suspended. Delta is sounding like that it is taking the position that it will take whatever action it deems appropriate as soon as the investigation is complete. They have also said that use of laptops by the crew is contrary to policy and that if that is what happened the crew will be fired.