Pilots need to be able to fly planes without computers, US FAA says
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The new cockpit curriculum was prompted in part by the 2013 crash of an Asiana Airlines jet.
PHOTO: UNSPLASH
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WASHINGTON – Airlines need to adopt more robust pilot training to prevent accidents when pilots must manually take over during emergencies or are confused by automated flight systems, US regulators said on Tuesday.
The Federal Aviation Administration published what is known as an advisory circular on its website with extensive new training guidelines for carriers and other commercial aviation operators in the US.
The new cockpit curriculum was prompted in part by the 2013 crash of an Asiana Airlines jet.
The incident occurred in San Francisco after confusion about the plane’s automated controls led the pilots to slam into a sea wall, killing three people.
Afterwards, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended the FAA convene a panel of experts to improve training.
Multiple crashes have shown a need for pilots, who might switch on the autopilot soon after takeoff, to sharpen their abilities to fly without automation in case they have to take over during an emergency, the FAA said in the advisory. BLOOMBERG
