A survey of almost 7,000 pilots in Europe last year found that 3 out of 4 pilots fell asleep at the controls a month before the survey. This year two pilots operating a Baltic Air flight fell asleep at the same time for around twenty-eight minutes. The plane was carrying 153 passengers. When the flight reached a cruising altitude the pilot in command asked the deputy pilot for permission to rest. The pilot in command fell asleep for about an hour. He then asked his cockpit mate whether he wanted to sleep but he declined. The first pilot continued to sleep then. However, the second pilot inadvertently fell asleep. Twenty-eight minutes after the last recorded transmission from the second pilot the first pilot woke up and was aware that the plane was not on the correct flight path. The plane eventually went on to its destination of Jakarta. According to a report the second pilot had been taking care of his 1 month old twins, was struggling with sleep and had moved the day before the flight. FYI the pilot in command is 32, the second in command 28. I like to see the captain in the cockpit to be around 50 on my flights. Oh, and maybe they can install a light mist system in the cockpit that goes off every 15 minutes like the one in the produce section at the grocery store.
Gunga, galunga
Garry