Mon, Apr 26, 2010
InFO Document Says Carriers Should Address The Issue Through
Training
There would seem to be a lot of
common sense involved in this, but as is often the case, the
actions of a few make things more difficult for everyone. The FAA
issued an InFO on Monday calling on air carrier operators to create
and enforce policies that will limit distractions in the cockpit,
and keep pilots focused on transporting passengers safely. "There
is no room for distraction when your job is to get people safely to
their destinations," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "The
traveling public expects professional pilots to focus on flying and
on safety at all times."
The Information for Operators (InFO) guidance reminds
crewmembers and air carriers that any cockpit distraction that
diverts attention from required duties can "constitute a safety
risk." This includes the use of personal electronic devices
for activities unrelated to flight. Last October the pilots of
Northwest 188 over-flew their destination by 150 miles because they
were using their laptop computers for personal activities and lost
situational awareness.
"Every aviation professional needs to take the issue of
distractions in the cockpit seriously," said FAA Administrator
Randy Babbitt. "And when there are two or more professionals on the
flight deck, they must hold each other to the highest safety
standards. Allowing distractions is unacceptable."
The FAA's Sterile Cockpit Rule prohibits pilots from engaging in
any type of distracting behavior during critical phases of flight,
including take-off and landing.
In this InFO, the FAA asks air carriers to address the issue of
distraction through their crew training programs and to create a
safety culture to control cockpit distractions. As technology
advances, laptops and other devices are becoming valuable tools for
pilots to use in their routine duties. But they must only be
used in the cockpit if they assist pilots in safely operating an
aircraft.
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