Idiot pilot, asleep at the stick in front of Feds.

Airline Pilot Caught Dozing in Flight
Fri Apr 30, 7:28 AM ET

TOKYO (Reuters) - A pilot for Japan's All Nippon Airways fell asleep at the
controls for 45 minutes while on a domestic flight and had to be awakened by
a government inspector who was traveling with cockpit access privileges.

A spokesman for the airline said on Friday that the 50-year-old pilot, whose
name was not released, dozed off while flying on March 23 from Tokyo's
Haneda airport to the western India, a trip that takes about an 2 hours.

An official from the Transport Ministry, who was in the cockpit for a
routine inspection, woke the pilot after he fell asleep as the plane was
cruising at 12,000 meters (36,000 feet), but he dozed off again and had to
be awakened, by splashing water over his head, a second time.

"He was asleep 35-45 minutes," the spokesman said.

The spokesman said there was no danger to passengers since the plane was on
auto-pilot. The pilot, who has not been suspended, due to a union
technicality.

Last year, a Japanese bullet train driver fell asleep at the controls while
his train was traveling at 270 km (168 miles) an hour. He was found to
suffer from sleep apnea, in which a person repeatedly stops breathing during
sleep, causing daytime drowsiness.

An official from the Transport Ministry [...] woke the pilot after he fell
asleep as the plane was cruising [...], but he dozed off again and had
to be awakened, by splashing water over his head, a second time.

I'm just wondering what frightens me more, a sleeping pilot or a
government official splashing a bin of water through the cockpit...

Tobias

"Tobias Mock" wrote in message
...
An official from the Transport Ministry [...] woke the pilot after he
fell
asleep as the plane was cruising [...], but he dozed off again and had
to be awakened, by splashing water over his head, a second time.

I'm just wondering what frightens me more, a sleeping pilot or a
government official splashing a bin of water through the cockpit...


I'm sure there was no bin of water..... probably just flicked a few drops
with his finger from a cup.

Where was the first officer?

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)

I don't have to like Bush and Cheney to love America

"Patty" wrote in message
...
Airline Pilot Caught Dozing in Flight
Fri Apr 30, 7:28 AM ET

TOKYO (Reuters) - A pilot for Japan's All Nippon Airways fell asleep at
the
controls for 45 minutes while on a domestic flight and had to be awakened
by
a government inspector who was traveling with cockpit access privileges.

A spokesman for the airline said on Friday that the 50-year-old pilot,
whose
name was not released, dozed off while flying on March 23 from Tokyo's
Haneda airport to the western India, a trip that takes about an 2 hours.

An official from the Transport Ministry, who was in the cockpit for a
routine inspection, woke the pilot after he fell asleep as the plane was
cruising at 12,000 meters (36,000 feet), but he dozed off again and had to
be awakened, by splashing water over his head, a second time.

"He was asleep 35-45 minutes," the spokesman said.

The spokesman said there was no danger to passengers since the plane was
on
auto-pilot. The pilot, who has not been suspended, due to a union
technicality.

Last year, a Japanese bullet train driver fell asleep at the controls
while
his train was traveling at 270 km (168 miles) an hour. He was found to
suffer from sleep apnea, in which a person repeatedly stops breathing
during
sleep, causing daytime drowsiness.

"Bob Chilcoat" wrote in message
news:40964c69$0$3060

Where was the first officer?


Very, very few Japanese F/Os would have the temerity to awaken a sleeping
Cpt.

I'm sure there was no bin of water..... probably just flicked a few drops
with his finger from a cup.

Let's not forget that this was a Japanese cockpit and a Japanese
bureaucrat. Different folks, different strokes.

(The first time he awakened the pilot, he did so by tapping the
co-pilot on the shoulder. The co-pilot looked over, saw the captain
sleeping, and began "screaming" at him, according to the report. I
doubt an American first officer would scream at his captain.)


all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
The Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
Viva Bush! blog www.vivabush.org

How about this. When I took my flight instructor check ride, from the Feds,
I was talking away while demonstrating the various manuvers. The Fed
wasn't saying much, so I looked over at him and sure enough, behind the
dark glasses, his eyes were shut. I just kept on talking. Didn't want to
kick a sleeping dog. The dog might not like it.

I passed.

A long time ago. Statute of limitations, if they apply, have long since
expired.


In article , "Tobias Mock"
wrote:
An official from the Transport Ministry [...] woke the pilot after he fell
asleep as the plane was cruising [...], but he dozed off again and had
to be awakened, by splashing water over his head, a second time.

I'm just wondering what frightens me more, a sleeping pilot or a
government official splashing a bin of water through the cockpit...

Tobias

"Cub Driver" wrote in message

(The first time he awakened the pilot, he did so by tapping the
co-pilot on the shoulder. The co-pilot looked over, saw the captain
sleeping, and began "screaming" at him, according to the report. I
doubt an American first officer would scream at his captain.)

No, you're right there. Several times, on both sides of the pedastal, I
woke the other guy by simply calling his name.

Nor would a Japanese F/O scream, in the absence of the check pilot. But
since they had been caught, the F/O had to make himself look bad (for his
failure in "allowing" the Cpt to doze off) by the rude and crude yelling.
Absent the check pilot, more subtlety would have been in order. Have the
F/A slam the cockpit door, perhaps, then apologize profusely for her
clumsiness.

On Mon, 3 May 2004 09:43:14 -0400, "Bob Chilcoat"
wrote:

Where was the first officer?

"Oh, don't worry about him. When it comes time I'll poke him with a
stick. And if that doesn't work, I'll just take matters into my own
hands"?

"Bob Chilcoat" wrote in message Where was the first officer?

Waiting to see his seniority number move up one notch!

Add this- some captains are more favored to fly with than others.

D. (temerity my a**)