Have Fun Flying That Desk …
Well, that didn’t take long …
While the airline and the union and the media continue to debate the actions of the pilots of Northwest Flight 188, who lost track of time for an hour and a half and missed the airport in Minneapolis last week, the FAA has stepped in and revoked their pilot’s licenses.
It’s clear from the letter sent to Captain Timothy B. Cheney and First Officer Richard I. Cole that the FAA isn’t screwing around, either …
“Not only did you not comply with … [air traffic controller] instructions, you did not even monitor the aircraft’s air-ground radios,” the letter said. “You were disengaged and impervious to the serious threat to your own safety, as well as the safety of people for whom you are responsible. This is a total dereliction and disregard for your duties.”
While a lot of new details came out in the letter, such as the location when they first lost contact with the plane (Denver, CO), the amount of time they were out of contact (91 minutes) and where they were when they finally got their act together (Eau Claire, WI), you can’t help but believe there’s still more to learn.
I still find it hard to believe that two experienced pilots would get so engrossed in a conversation about something so seemingly mundane – the new scheduling tool they inherited in the merger with Delta Airlines – that they’d flaunt company and FAA policy by whipping out their personal laptops to debate its merits. There just has to be more to this.
Ironically, had they just fallen asleep, they’d be hailed as innocent victims of a cruel and overburdened system, and be the poster children for reform – not to mention still be employed … 
