nikos_k.
Business-Class-Member
Πριν από μερικές ημέρες, έπεσε στα χέρια μου το παρακάτω κείμενο (το παραθέτω χωρίς καμία επεξεργασία) γύρω από το εν λόγω ατύχημα.
Φαίνεται ξεκάθαρα πως το ατύχημα ωφείλεται στην κόπωση (fatigue) του πληρώματος. Είναι πραγματικά πολύ λυπηρό το γεγονός πως επαγγελματίες που έχουν τεράστια ευθύνη, τουλάχιστον προς τους επιβάτες τους, δεν πηγαίνουν να πετάξουν ξεκούραστοι... Ας ελπίσουμε οι (εν ζωή) συνάδελφοί τους να μάθουν κάτι από το ατύχημα... Επίσης είναι συγκλονιστικό (αλλά καθόλου απρόσμενο) πως η εταιρία μεταφέρει όλη την ευθύνη στους χειριστές!
"Subject: Colgan air crash hearings - reports from 1st 4 days Colgan Q400 crash hearing today to focus on pilot training, actions Tuesday May 12, 2009
US National Transportation Safety Board hearings commence today on the Feb. 12 Colgan Air Q400 crash outside Buffalo that killed 50 including one person on the ground, and a great deal of attention is expected to be focused on the flight captain's training and competence. Although icing initially was suspected in the accident, a report yesterday in The Wall Street Journal alleged that Capt. Marvin Renslow lacked adequate training to respond to a stall warning and inadvertently sent the aircraft into a fatal dive after the stick-pusher activated. The report, citing sources close to the investigation, also claimed that the pilot had "flunked numerous flight tests during his career." According to NTSB, the hearing will center around testimony on the effect of icing on aircraft performance, sterile cockpit rules, crew experience and stall recovery training ATWOnline, March 26) <http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=16056> . Following media speculation in February that pilot error may have played a role in the accident, Colgan said that its training programs "meet or exceed the regulatory requirements for all major airlines" and that Renslow had 3,379 hr. of flight time, 172 training hr. on the Q400 and was "fully qualified" to operate the turboprop (ATWOnline, Feb. 20) <http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=15662> . In March, NTSB released preliminary findings stating that there was no evidence of pre-impact system failures or "anomalies" and that icing had a "minimal impact on the stall speed of the airplane."
Colgan pilots chatting minutes before crash Wednesday May 13, 2009
The captain and first officer of the Colgan Air Q400 that crashed Feb. 12 near Buffalo were carrying on a "nonessential conversation" for at least 3 min. before the disastrous end of the flight, the National Transportation Safety Board revealed yesterday. Under FAA rules, pilots are to operate a sterile cockpit environment below 10,000 ft., confining any discussion to matters related directly to flight operations. During the conversation, both pilots voiced concerns about flying in icing conditions. NTSB hearings that began yesterday focused on aircraft performance of the Q400, stall recovery procedures and cold weather operations as investigators tried to piece together an explanation of how the Colgan Air turboprop stalled and crashed. Today the board will hear testimony from Colgan VP-Flight Operations Harry Mitchell and VP-Administration Mary Finnigan on company training programs and pilot oversight. Paul Pryor, a flight simulator instructor for the airline, testified yesterday that Capt. Marvin Renslow and his 24-year-old copilot Rebecca Shaw had been trained in stall recovery procedures and were taught how to land in icy conditions. On Monday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Renslow had not been trained in a simulator on how to respond to activation of the stick-pusher stall recovery system. Wally Warner, a representative of Q400 manufacturer Bombardier, estimated that the pilots had about 27 sec. in which to make the proper decisions but said, "The initial reaction to stall warning was incorrect. Altitude can't be the first concern. You have to generate airspeed. You could lose some altitude during recovery." An NTSB timeline of that fateful ay noted the Shaw had flown in on an all-night flight from Seattle prior to reporting for duty. Renslow had commuted to Newark from Tampa on Feb. 9 and began a two-day trip on Feb. 10. There is no indication either crew member had accommodations in Newark. Although pilots are not supposed to use the crew room to overnight, NTSB reported that Renslow had been seen sleeping in the crew room the day of the accident.
NTSB targets fatigue factor in probe of Colgan crash Thursday May 14, 2009
First Officer Rebecca Shaw had been up for nearly 36 hr. prior to taking the right seat of the Colgan Air Q400 that crashed on the night of Feb. 12, the National Transportation Safety Board estimated at a hearing yesterday. Shaw, who commuted to her base in Newark from her home in Seattle, had left home on Feb. 11, transferring in Memphis after a few hours in the middle of the night and arriving in Newark the next morning for a departure that evening. The pilot, Capt. Marvin Renslow, had commuted to Newark from Tampa on Feb. 9 to begin a two-day trip on Feb. 10 (ATWOnline, May 13) <http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=16591> . According to NTSB, neither Shaw nor Renslow had accommodations other than the crew room in Newark. Shaw apparently intended to catch up on some rest in the flight crew room at the airport before reporting for duty later that day, according to testimony provided during the second day of three days of hearings on the crash, which killed 50 people. Colgan, like other US carriers, does not require pilots to live near their assigned bases and allows them to commute--in this case cross-country--to work. "The way they manage their rest time is their own business," VP-Flight Operations Harry Mitchel told board members yesterday. "We hire professionals. They should show up fresh and ready to fly that aircraft." Also, it was revealed that Renslow had admitted to only one of at least three previous failed flight checks when he submitted his employment application. Airlines are required by law to do a criminal background check and obtain driving records for pilot applicants, but they can review only the past five years of a candidate's flight records in accordance with the Pilot Record Improvement Act. "The pilot should have answered those questions on his application honestly," said VP-Administration Mary Finnigan when asked about Renslow's misrepresentation. When asked what would have happened if the company discovered it, she replied, "Termination."
Colgan rebuts overscheduling allegations; Senate plans June hearings Friday May 15, 2009
Colgan Air attempted to push back against allegations that the pilots of the Q400 that crashed Feb. 12 near Buffalo did not get adequate rest prior to the flight because of possible overscheduling, and the US Senate announced it will hold hearings next month to examine "stunning" issues raised by National Transportation Safety Board hearings on the accident. At the hearings this week, it was revealed that First Officer Rebecca Shaw had been up for nearly 36 hr. prior to taking the right seat of the doomed aircraft after commuting all night from her home in Seattle, while Capt. Marvin Renslow had commuted to Newark from Tampa on Feb. 9 to begin a two-day trip on Feb. 10 (ATWOnline, May 14)<http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=16604> . According to NTSB, neither Shaw nor Renslow had accommodations other than the crewroom at EWR. "We want to emphasize that if there was a fatigue issue with [the pilots], it was not due to their work schedule," Colgan said in a statement issued yesterday. "Colgan's flight crew schedule provided rest periods for each of them that were far in excess of FAA requirements." Renslow was off duty for 22 consecutive hours before the flight and Shaw had been off for three days. "The way they manage their rest time is their own business," Colgan VP-Flight Operations Harry Mitchel told board members. "We hire professionals. They should show up fresh and ready to fly that aircraft." Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), chairman of the Senate aviation operations, safety and security subcommittee, said his panel will hold hearings next month on "gaps in the existing airline safety system." He added, "The disclosures [relating to the Colgan crash] about crew rest, compensation, training and many other issues demonstrate the urgent need for Congress and the FAA to take actions to make certain the same standards exist for both commuter airlines and the major carriers."
Φαίνεται ξεκάθαρα πως το ατύχημα ωφείλεται στην κόπωση (fatigue) του πληρώματος. Είναι πραγματικά πολύ λυπηρό το γεγονός πως επαγγελματίες που έχουν τεράστια ευθύνη, τουλάχιστον προς τους επιβάτες τους, δεν πηγαίνουν να πετάξουν ξεκούραστοι... Ας ελπίσουμε οι (εν ζωή) συνάδελφοί τους να μάθουν κάτι από το ατύχημα... Επίσης είναι συγκλονιστικό (αλλά καθόλου απρόσμενο) πως η εταιρία μεταφέρει όλη την ευθύνη στους χειριστές!
"Subject: Colgan air crash hearings - reports from 1st 4 days Colgan Q400 crash hearing today to focus on pilot training, actions Tuesday May 12, 2009
US National Transportation Safety Board hearings commence today on the Feb. 12 Colgan Air Q400 crash outside Buffalo that killed 50 including one person on the ground, and a great deal of attention is expected to be focused on the flight captain's training and competence. Although icing initially was suspected in the accident, a report yesterday in The Wall Street Journal alleged that Capt. Marvin Renslow lacked adequate training to respond to a stall warning and inadvertently sent the aircraft into a fatal dive after the stick-pusher activated. The report, citing sources close to the investigation, also claimed that the pilot had "flunked numerous flight tests during his career." According to NTSB, the hearing will center around testimony on the effect of icing on aircraft performance, sterile cockpit rules, crew experience and stall recovery training ATWOnline, March 26) <http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=16056> . Following media speculation in February that pilot error may have played a role in the accident, Colgan said that its training programs "meet or exceed the regulatory requirements for all major airlines" and that Renslow had 3,379 hr. of flight time, 172 training hr. on the Q400 and was "fully qualified" to operate the turboprop (ATWOnline, Feb. 20) <http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=15662> . In March, NTSB released preliminary findings stating that there was no evidence of pre-impact system failures or "anomalies" and that icing had a "minimal impact on the stall speed of the airplane."
Colgan pilots chatting minutes before crash Wednesday May 13, 2009
The captain and first officer of the Colgan Air Q400 that crashed Feb. 12 near Buffalo were carrying on a "nonessential conversation" for at least 3 min. before the disastrous end of the flight, the National Transportation Safety Board revealed yesterday. Under FAA rules, pilots are to operate a sterile cockpit environment below 10,000 ft., confining any discussion to matters related directly to flight operations. During the conversation, both pilots voiced concerns about flying in icing conditions. NTSB hearings that began yesterday focused on aircraft performance of the Q400, stall recovery procedures and cold weather operations as investigators tried to piece together an explanation of how the Colgan Air turboprop stalled and crashed. Today the board will hear testimony from Colgan VP-Flight Operations Harry Mitchell and VP-Administration Mary Finnigan on company training programs and pilot oversight. Paul Pryor, a flight simulator instructor for the airline, testified yesterday that Capt. Marvin Renslow and his 24-year-old copilot Rebecca Shaw had been trained in stall recovery procedures and were taught how to land in icy conditions. On Monday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Renslow had not been trained in a simulator on how to respond to activation of the stick-pusher stall recovery system. Wally Warner, a representative of Q400 manufacturer Bombardier, estimated that the pilots had about 27 sec. in which to make the proper decisions but said, "The initial reaction to stall warning was incorrect. Altitude can't be the first concern. You have to generate airspeed. You could lose some altitude during recovery." An NTSB timeline of that fateful ay noted the Shaw had flown in on an all-night flight from Seattle prior to reporting for duty. Renslow had commuted to Newark from Tampa on Feb. 9 and began a two-day trip on Feb. 10. There is no indication either crew member had accommodations in Newark. Although pilots are not supposed to use the crew room to overnight, NTSB reported that Renslow had been seen sleeping in the crew room the day of the accident.
NTSB targets fatigue factor in probe of Colgan crash Thursday May 14, 2009
First Officer Rebecca Shaw had been up for nearly 36 hr. prior to taking the right seat of the Colgan Air Q400 that crashed on the night of Feb. 12, the National Transportation Safety Board estimated at a hearing yesterday. Shaw, who commuted to her base in Newark from her home in Seattle, had left home on Feb. 11, transferring in Memphis after a few hours in the middle of the night and arriving in Newark the next morning for a departure that evening. The pilot, Capt. Marvin Renslow, had commuted to Newark from Tampa on Feb. 9 to begin a two-day trip on Feb. 10 (ATWOnline, May 13) <http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=16591> . According to NTSB, neither Shaw nor Renslow had accommodations other than the crew room in Newark. Shaw apparently intended to catch up on some rest in the flight crew room at the airport before reporting for duty later that day, according to testimony provided during the second day of three days of hearings on the crash, which killed 50 people. Colgan, like other US carriers, does not require pilots to live near their assigned bases and allows them to commute--in this case cross-country--to work. "The way they manage their rest time is their own business," VP-Flight Operations Harry Mitchel told board members yesterday. "We hire professionals. They should show up fresh and ready to fly that aircraft." Also, it was revealed that Renslow had admitted to only one of at least three previous failed flight checks when he submitted his employment application. Airlines are required by law to do a criminal background check and obtain driving records for pilot applicants, but they can review only the past five years of a candidate's flight records in accordance with the Pilot Record Improvement Act. "The pilot should have answered those questions on his application honestly," said VP-Administration Mary Finnigan when asked about Renslow's misrepresentation. When asked what would have happened if the company discovered it, she replied, "Termination."
Colgan rebuts overscheduling allegations; Senate plans June hearings Friday May 15, 2009
Colgan Air attempted to push back against allegations that the pilots of the Q400 that crashed Feb. 12 near Buffalo did not get adequate rest prior to the flight because of possible overscheduling, and the US Senate announced it will hold hearings next month to examine "stunning" issues raised by National Transportation Safety Board hearings on the accident. At the hearings this week, it was revealed that First Officer Rebecca Shaw had been up for nearly 36 hr. prior to taking the right seat of the doomed aircraft after commuting all night from her home in Seattle, while Capt. Marvin Renslow had commuted to Newark from Tampa on Feb. 9 to begin a two-day trip on Feb. 10 (ATWOnline, May 14)<http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=16604> . According to NTSB, neither Shaw nor Renslow had accommodations other than the crewroom at EWR. "We want to emphasize that if there was a fatigue issue with [the pilots], it was not due to their work schedule," Colgan said in a statement issued yesterday. "Colgan's flight crew schedule provided rest periods for each of them that were far in excess of FAA requirements." Renslow was off duty for 22 consecutive hours before the flight and Shaw had been off for three days. "The way they manage their rest time is their own business," Colgan VP-Flight Operations Harry Mitchel told board members. "We hire professionals. They should show up fresh and ready to fly that aircraft." Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), chairman of the Senate aviation operations, safety and security subcommittee, said his panel will hold hearings next month on "gaps in the existing airline safety system." He added, "The disclosures [relating to the Colgan crash] about crew rest, compensation, training and many other issues demonstrate the urgent need for Congress and the FAA to take actions to make certain the same standards exist for both commuter airlines and the major carriers."
