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[SniperHunter]

Both were suspended

Co-pilot of Jaipur-Delhi Air India flight beats up captain after quarrel, both derostered: Report

The co-pilot of a Jaipur-Delhi Air India flight allegedly assaulted the captain before take-off, media reports said on Monday, highlighting the stress on “overworked” pilots of the government-owned carrier.

Sunday’s incident came days after an association representing Air India pilots wrote to the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) saying co-pilots were being “forced to work overtime” without adequate remuneration.

The alleged fracas also came barely weeks after the co-pilot of a German airline “deliberately” crashed an aircraft into the French Alps, killing on 150 people onboard. The co-pilot was said to be mentally unstable with a history of suicidal tendencies.

The Times of India reported quoting unnamed sources that the co-pilot – who was not identified – took umbrage after the captain asked him to “take down critical take off figures for the flight”.

The angry co-pilot allegedly assaulted the pilot physically.

The paper also said the co-pilot was involved in similar face-offs with flight captains on a couple of occasions earlier.

An Air India spokesperson said both the pilots -- commander and the co-pilot -- were derostered.

"There were only heated exchanges between the commander and co-pilot over some issue. We have already derostered the
two pilots pending an inquiry," the spokesperson said.

NDTV reported that recently the Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association had written to the DGCA saying that co-pilots were being overworked.

“Putting these highly-stressed and financially over-burdened co-pilots in the same cockpit... is a perfect recipe for disaster,” NDTV quoted the association as saying.

The letter also said, “At times of equipment malfunction, turbulence or emergency, a pilot must remain calm... How can an Air India pilot perform his duties in such a manner when he is already highly stressed?”

NDTV said earlier too the ICPA had raised safety concerns over the Air India’s 26-year-old A-320 fleet.

The Times of India said the DGCA has started discussions with the Directorate of Medical Services for regular check-ups of pilots to evaluate their psychological health.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...t-after-quarrel-reports/article1-1334324.aspx

 

[Yrael]

Christ, my heart actually skipped a beat when I read the thread's headline, given how soon it is after the German airline crash. I'm glad that the plane hadn't taken off yet...

 

[ElfArmy177]

Get rid of em.. We don't need more crazy people flying planes. I understand people get overworked and stressed, but control your damn selves... You're adults...

 

[Reset]

The paper also said the co-pilot was involved in similar face-offs with flight captains on a couple of occasions earlier.

Fire that co-pilot already

 

[Valhelm]

Not a good week for co-pilots.

 

[Razmos]

Joining the mile high fight club.

 

[SniperHunter]

Fire that co-pilot already

yea he sounds like a lunatic

 

[Shining Sunshine]

Air flight travel has never felt as dangerous as it was before.

Too many cases, or too much exposure, revealing pretty ugly stuff.

 

[Damaniel]

Time to ban co-pilots. They're nothing but trouble.

Spoiler

/s

(Seriously - why is it always the co-pilot starting shit?)

 

[CrazyDude]

Time to ban co-pilots. They're nothing but trouble.

Spoiler

/s

(Seriously - why is it always the co-pilot starting shit?)

No on likes being second fiddle.

 

[Wthermans]

Sounds like both need to be fired.

All pilots should understand that they should be receptive to criticism and that violence is never an answer (especially in the cockpit).

 

[Hyun Sai]

took umbrage after the captain asked him to “take down critical take off figures for the flight”.

What does that mean exactly ?

 

[AndyD]

What does that mean exactly ?

Write down important things in the flight log?

 

[Gaming Truth]

What does that mean exactly ?

Take note of things that might prevent you from actually taking off, like:

• fuel weight
• number of passengers
• weight of luggage (excluding carryons, which they can't track)

These are pre-checks that the pilots are ultimately responsible for, so you don't have incidents where planes fail to take-off and crash

 

[Delta Assault]

Is it just me, or is "fracas" really getting popular with journalists these days?

 

[Seventy70]

Sounds like Air India alright

 

[entremet]

Is it just me, or is "fracas" really getting popular with journalists these days?

These are UK or post colonial publications. That's why.

 

[PeakPointMatrix]

Hey how about we don't let emotionally unstable people pilot 500-ton miracle machines harboring hundreds of lives in the sky.

Just a thought.

 

[FunkyPajamas]

Hey how about we don't let emotionally unstable people pilot 500-ton miracle machines harboring hundreds of lives in the sky.

Just a thought.

They should let pilots smoke weed in the cockpit to chill out.

 

[SniperHunter]

They should let pilots smoke weed in the cockpit to chill out.

Lol

 

[Marvel]

I somehow missed the "Before take off" bit, so I thought he was beating the shit outta the guy while on auto pilot or something in the sky.

 

[Abounder]

"Cockpit" indeed.

Surprised they are only suspended...note to self: never fly via Air India!

 

[Bebpo]

Hey how about we don't let emotionally unstable people pilot 500-ton miracle machines harboring hundreds of lives in the sky.

Just a thought.

The problem is that at some point in 95% of the population of humanity's lives, they will be emotionally unstable. It's just human nature. How we work around that is the challenge.

 

[RustyNails]

Why did they suspend the Captain? It was the co-pilot that acted lile a moron.

 

[farisr]

Why did they suspend the Captain? It was the co-pilot that acted lile a moron.

I'm guessing they suspended both until a full investigation is done.

 

[GrayFoxPL]

Cock Pit Fighters.

 

[AstroNut325]

These two points need more attention:

Sunday’s incident came days after an association representing Air India pilots wrote to the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) saying co-pilots were being “forced to work overtime” without adequate remuneration.

NDTV reported that recently the Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association had written to the DGCA saying that co-pilots were being overworked.

“Putting these highly-stressed and financially over-burdened co-pilots in the same cockpit... is a perfect recipe for disaster,” NDTV quoted the association as saying.

 

[Bboy AJ]

Typical crab pulling down other crabs mentality on here, blaming the pilots instead of the industry. These guys are worked to the bone. Of course these things will happen. The industry should train and hire more of these guys. Then stress would be less of an issue.

Yeah, the guy has a history. But that history can be mitigated with proper staffing.