Does Todays Aircraft Automation Make Pilots Too Complacent?
As you all probably know by now, the two Northwest Airlines pilots who flew 150 miles past the Minneapolis International Airport have had their licenses revoked by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for “… violations of a number of Federal Aviation Regulations. Those include failing to comply with air traffic control instructions and clearances and operating carelessly and recklessly.” The pilots claim that they had lost track of time while they were working on their laptops trying to figure out their flying schedules. Others believe they had fallen asleep and refused to admit it. Northwest Airlines said using the laptops was in violation of company policy and it would seek to terminate their employment there. Many airlines also ban any distractions including reading material while a flight is in progress. On top of the obvious, “What the hell were they thinking?” question, is another about the role of automation and its seductive powers. Accepting the pilots’ story on the
