Co-Pilot Deliberately Crashed Plane?

[Teach]

That appears to be the tragic scenario. We (the nations of the world) cannot let this happen, again! Some quick thoughts. I'd like to hear yours.

1. Frequent and more stringent psychological testing. Not a failsafe, but it would help. Was the guy having marital problems? financial problems? Was he a terrorist?

2. In this country, it is my understanding when one of the two pilots leave the flight deck, a person, a member of the flight crew, sits in until that person's return. Obviously, not followed by all countries. Although it would not prevent something like this from happening, it might deter it, especially if the person sitting in, flight attendant, was a strong, robust person.

3. This may sound ludicrous but could a small toilet facility with a curtain be built into the cockpit area, thus removing the necessity for leaving the flight deck, thus, as in this case, leaving only just one person in charge.

4. What about a remote-control device, similar to one you would use to open or shut your car? This could be taken by a pilot who was leaving the cockpit. If the door were locked, the remote would allow him/her to open the door from the outside.

In the end, something must be done. We must always learn from mistakes and tragedies. One hundred-fifty innocent souls demand it.

[Grits]

http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/sullen...armful-pilots/

Teach, your points are good ones. Everyday I watch CBS This Morning. With the revelation that the airplane was dove into the mountainside, intentionally, these were the thoughts of Capt.Sully Sullenberger this a.m.

He notes the level of scrutiny that pilots are held to. It being far greater than even that of physicians. An aircraft, as we know, is a greater weapon. ... These poor innocent victims and their loved ones.

There's a stairway to heaven. There's a highway to hell. There's a good reason for the difference. ... This man's in hell.

[Clocker]

Originally Posted by Teach

4. What about a remote-control device, similar to one you would use to open or shut your car? This could be taken by a pilot who was leaving the cockpit. If the door were locked, the remote would allow him/her to open the door from the outside.

There is a long story about the crash and the co-pilot, linked below.

The cockpit door has a key pad on the outside for entry. That can be over ridden by a switch in the cockpit. This is to prevent a terrorist from forcing a crew member to open the door.

There is no indication so far from those who knew him that the co-pilot had any mental or emotional problems.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...elonnette.html

[classhandicapper]

Suicidal people don't often take out 150 innocent people with them. I think we are going to learn more about this.

[Marshall Bennett]

These cases are extremely isolated considering the miles flown around the world each day. When all is said and done, there's only so much you can do.
The system was in place to keep intruders out, not to keep a nutcase in. It succeeded in doing both. A nutcase on the ground with a high powered rifle can bring an airliner down as well. Once again, very isolated, but very possible.
If any crew member, particularly in the cockpit, decides they want to destroy the aircraft they're flying on, they'll probably succeed in doing it.

[OntheRail]

I believe your right class...

[JustRalph]

Not buying it.

[nijinski]

Originally Posted by Clocker

There is a long story about the crash and the co-pilot, linked below.

The cockpit door has a key pad on the outside for entry. That can be over ridden by a switch in the cockpit. This is to prevent a terrorist from forcing a crew member to open the door.

There is no indication so far from those who knew him that the co-pilot had any mental or emotional problems.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...elonnette.html

I just heard he took time off for burnout and there was a mention of depression . Facts will be coming out in the coming days .

[Tape Reader]

Sue Hollywood, save the world!

Idiots pay for this type of “entertainment” and it is acted out in real life.

[davew]

Originally Posted by Tape Reader

Sue Hollywood, save the world!

Idiots pay for this type of “entertainment” and it is acted out in real life.

The Islamic fringe groups have been adding a lot to national television around the world as well - even if this guy does not have any ties to them, he has seen what they have done.

[Marshall Bennett]

Even as safe as airline travel is, flying abroad has to be many more times risky than here at home. Two must be in the cockpit at all times here, this may well have made the difference in this disaster. In the case of the Asiana plane that hit the seawall in SF short of the runway, the crew member landing the plane wasn't even a certified pilot and admitted later he was unsure of himself. The two Malaysian disasters probably wouldn't have happened over American soil. One was shot down flying over a war-zone when it could have gone around. The other disappeared entirely, and while the jury is still out on what took place, my guess is that had it been an American airliner it never would have happened, particularly over American airspace.
The families of the victims in this latest disaster should be outraged, knowing the culprit here was left alone in the cockpit with only a few hundred hours of experience.

[Teach]

Co-Pilot in Germanwings Crash Hid Medical Condition From Employer ...

The above headline confirmed that the GermanWings co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz, had an ongoing problem with depression that he hid from his employers.

When I was a teacher, we used to say when we didn't fully meet a child's educational needs: "Someone slipped through the cracks". In this case, in aviation, it occurred at a terrible cost.

I harken back to my initial post in which I suggested that airline companies must employ more frequent and stringent psychological testing practices.

This tragedy might have been averted, might well have been avoided, if more ardent psychological screening practices were in effect.

This man had past markers. "Red flags". A break off in his flight training here in America. As time goes on, in the investigative process, we may learn more about this co-pilot's psychological problems.

As someone who taught psychology at the high school level for many years (I do not consider myself an expert) I know that there are various physiological and environmental issues that can trigger depression (I'm most empathetic toward anyone who has suffered from this condition).

In our brains we have various neurotransmitters (sodium ions) that make connections between various brain cells (neurons). Sometimes, in some people, there are imbalances of these neurotransmitters, e.g., dopamine, serotonin, etc. That imbalance can lead to psychological problems, e.g., bi-polar disorder, depression, etc.

Environmentally, matters such as a marital breakup (in this man's case it was mentioned that he was breaking up with his girlfriend), financial difficulties, job loss, failure to get an anticipated promotion, etc.

In summation, it is of the ultimate necessity that airlines, worldwide, immediately institute a protocol that insists upon stringent and frequent psychological testing that is administered by a trained psychologist or psychiatrist. The world demands it. It is the least we can do for the one-hundred and fifty souls (and their families) who lost their lives in the French Alps.

[Greyfox]

Originally Posted by Teach

In summation, it is of the ultimate necessity that airlines, worldwide, immediately institute a protocol that insists upon stringent and frequent psychological testing that is administered by a trained psychologist or psychiatrist. The world demands it. It is the least we can do for the one-hundred and fifty souls (and their families) who lost their lives in the French Alps.

You're right Teach, to a point.
Psychological screening may have helped, but even the best trained psychologists and psychiatrists are no guarantee that this guy wouldn't have slipped through the cracks. Some people can mask their disorders very well even from pros.
In this instance, more than suicide is taking place.
If the copilot did this he must have been harboring a lot of anger to murder so many people along with him.
Personally, I haven't ruled out the idea that the copilot was overwhelmed by some terrorist who slipped into the cockpit while the pilot was out.
For all we know the co-pilot is a scapegoat here....but we'll never know.

[Tom]

The guy had a note from his doctor saying he should not fly that day?

Another huge red flag for me is the procedures allow for only one person to be in an "impenetrable" cockpit?

What is he has a heart attack?

You know, having watched the series Air Disasters on Smithsonian network, it seems every week it a pilot screwing up or maintenance screwing up.

[Clocker]

Originally Posted by Tom

Another huge red flag for me is the procedures allow for only one person to be in an "impenetrable" cockpit?

This is not allowed on US airlines. I bet it will be standard policy on all airlines now.