Recent incidents have revealed that airline pilots are using personal electronic devices, including laptop computers and cell phones, in the cockpit. In one well-publicized instance, two Northwest pilots were using their laptops in flight and lost situational awareness; they flew 150 miles past their destination.
It doesn't take a safety expert to realize there is no room for distraction when your job is to get people safely to their destinations.
There's a lot going on in today's cockpit; adding laptops and cell phones only complicates the mix
Our Federal Aviation Administration already has what's known as the "Sterile Cockpit Rule," prohibiting pilots from engaging in any type of distracting behavior during critical phases of flight. Today, the FAA is distributing an "Information for Operators" (InFO) guidance that asks the airlines to address distraction through crew training programs. It also asks that airlines create a safety culture to control cockpit distractions.
Continue reading "FAA guidance makes it clear:
There is no room for distraction in the cockpit" »