Cockpit Controversy

" Denny Kelly retired airline captain who is a joining us now on the phone Denny. How often does this kind of thing happen."

" It doesn't happen very often it happens maybe once a year. And sometimes close -- that but it does happen -- You know he can be a real problem."

" Now you you may have been with us earlier one. We were told that the the the stricken pilot of this flight 61 also happened to be 61 years old. Until a couple of years ago it would have been mandatory that that this man we presume could've been a man could have been a woman. Would have had to retire. But congress. Agreed with the FAA to bump up the mandatory retirement age I know that was a controversial move what's your take on."

" Well. Actually was who is about a year ago that they they changed -- 6060. And said they had no statistical data -- group that. This this held considerations for men between 1665. Was -- any worse than -- considerations for you know man it was 5560. Because we took. Physicals every six months and I suppose we could monitor the they help. But. You know it's it's hard to say it's hard judge right now with only a year into it where they're not there's going to be bigger picture --"

" And the point is made that you know a pilot who is approaching sixty is a very experienced pilot and as as you had with the captain Sullenberger on that US air flight that's well down and -- and you want experience people."

" You know you can talk about experience and -- it is it is important there's no question about that but you -- an airplane you know there's a lot of hand eye coordination to. Besides just making decision as to what you Lander Koran underwear at you how much do you take -- whatever -- treat you like there's there's experience helps and it. But there's still a lot of anti mortgage and you get older you and I both know you just don't have an impact ordination that you give when you're younger -- school of thought that says. When you start -- in late fifties -- sixties you're you're flying abilities are deteriorating especially for the high performance airplanes -- you you don't. Not I'm not talking about a little busier talking about like in this case true servant where your approach speech maybe -- 150 miles an hour. And the airplane may -- and if -- ordered thousands."

" Well and it was also controversial because you know some of the younger pilots who were in the system were were sort of looking forward to their chance to move up that. -- hours or maybe not a lot of pay. And all of a sudden congress in the FAA say its okay for these older pilots to continue flying for another five years that was quite controversial. For some of the younger guys who were looking forward to their moment to move up to the front seat."

" That's you know that's where it's all about the airline industry -- pilot seniority is everything and if all of a sudden the guys were to retire at sixty -- five more years. Just slows down you're you're ready for instance so that -- money was a big factor and it was also big factor. With the airlines because if these guys try to get a train somebody to replace them now they get five years to wait where -- train him. So you -- there's there's a lot of factors involved that. Now he you know in this particular case in this particular flight going from Brussels the Newark. They're going to have they're going to -- a three -- have captain into. Coke product to more difficult part is going to be rated type -- on the airplane as captain. So yep and -- the biggest problem is just getting him out of the city. And getting involved medical attention to see if they can revive him in and while the other guys didn't city. These guys shoot approaches all the time look you know in bad weather collective."

" Right and they also. And they also Bret -- is reminding me from our Washington bureau that they also practice in the simulators at least which are very elaborate and very realistic. They practice pilot incapacitate -- it is something that flight crews. Go through on a regular basis."

" Well that's. Depend on the airline -- not a big thing. Because these airplane but triple seven both sides of the cockpit the product co pilot. They have almost identical instruments in in that co pilot. But those approaches all the time knowing this simulator but in real life so -- the biggest problem is is that. He if you don't have a captain raided in the airplane only -- to cope. Well the the steering for the airplane on the ground isn't -- inside look at the side. So there's a debate -- that the Coke while it gets out of his seat in gets in the left seat. And -- Clinton well actually which he's not used to do it and in that can be a little bit and -- Dark -- here going to stop on the run rate then get out of this week over the captaincy. And use the nose -- Jack the airplane you know to the Gator to we're gonna take it. So -- we get below I work for we had a captain died in flight and and the seven point seven. In. You know that the Obama elected to stay in the -- box seat earlier -- was -- other -- and that he got object to be played okay. If you don't this -- couple was saying. If you're not rating and your friends captain and you -- It's he'd he'd do everything with your left hand as the -- rumors kept the you're -- Iraq."

" Right. You know I was I was curious that -- depend on the individual airline as to whether passengers would have been notified what what what happened -- flight."

" No we're dependent care that he would depend on -- this senior crew members of senior pilot programs to -- that he notifies. You know the people in the back -- You don't want to hit and it you don't want -- thank you you know so you so it's probably better to say as little as possible would you think. Well there's the question boils down to one thing -- is do you prepare the cabin. Relating which you prepare for -- play. There's a finger problem if you -- a beauty he decide that's not going to be necessary that I could -- was me I would note. -- the senior by the end. And say you know. Now what was going to happen is we did we know we know there was an emergency landing declared on the ground would that not necessarily have been declared inside the plane probably no. You know -- if I was the first roster back when I was the first officer. If this -- happened I would notify air traffic control that I was gonna go to. The New Year's. Airport entire. And I was gonna declared emergencies like get preferential and -- should be number one. Because in the main reason is I've not gotten out of the captains did he mean he may seem did -- look did. But maybe not maybe it will begin monogram -- put it get so whatever they may revive the the next thing I would do is I would see if there's any medical personnel in the back and that's gonna bet that if if the -- comes on the experiences. They is very medical people here -- doctors -- whatever. People are aware of it as somebody gets up from the catwalk system -- goes in the cockpit everybody's -- know what's going on."

" Denny Kelly is a retired pilot that Denny thanks for being with us and sharing your expertise again this thing seems to have ended. As best as it possibly could have continental flight 61 from Brussels to Newark. Took off this morning from Brussels the pilot died a 61 year old pilot died while that triple seven was in the air. 247. Passengers on board but everything turned out all right it landed safely. We want to check back."