Sleeping pilots

[We Never Know]

Isn't this comforting to know?

"More than half of pilots have fallen asleep while in charge of a plane, a survey by a pilots' union suggests.

Of the 56% who admitted sleeping, 29% told Balpa that they had woken up to find the other pilot asleep as well.

The survey comes after it emerged that two pilots on an Airbus passenger plane were asleep at the same time, with the aircraft being flown on autopilot."

'More than half' of pilots have slept while flying - BBC News

More than half of pilots have fallen asleep while in charge of a plane, a survey by a pilots' union suggests.

www-bbc-com.cdn.ampproject.org

 

[SalixIncendium]

Isn't this comforting to know?

I'm going to guess the answer is 'no.'

But I don't fly, so I can't be sure.

 

[LuisDantas]

I'm only guessing here, but I suspect that this is not nearly as worrisome as it appears at first glance.

I may be wrong, but I get the sense that modern planes tend to flight most of the time by autopilot and to make loud noises whenever anything worth of attention is detected by their rather impressive sensor arrays.

Prompt response is rarely even a concern outside of take-off and landing situations.

 

[Balthazzar]

Today's technological advances amaze me. I have no idea the capabilities but understanding the ability of other types of guiding systems, I'm thinking our airlines are very well equipped, particularly after 9 11. Sleeping on the job I'm sure is frowned upon, but I don't know that it's such a travesty in neglect of responsibility as a pilot that it should be too terribly concerning. They should stay awake in my opinion, but like I stated, I don't know the full capabilities of the automated guiding systems utilized by our aviation department.

 

[ChristineM]

I'm with @LuisDantas here. After take off and before landing, most longer flights are flown on autopilot, the pilot/co-pilot only take over when an alarm is sounded or they get bored.

Short haul flights are different, they've only just taken off and settled into the flight path and it's time to prepare for landing.

In modern planes even take off and landing are automatic, the cockpit crew are really only there to make sure all is well and to molify the passengers that a qualified crew are in charge of the plane and their safety

 

[We Never Know]

I'm only guessing here, but I suspect that this is not nearly as worrisome as it appears at first glance.

I may be wrong, but I get the sense that modern planes tend to flight most of the time by autopilot and to make loud noises whenever anything worth of attention is detected by their rather impressive sensor arrays.

Prompt response is rarely even a concern outside of take-off and landing situations.

Passenger planes can land theirself using autopilot through a system that is often referred to as autoland.

 

[LuisDantas]

Having posted the above... it stands to reason that it is a situation to avoid, of course. There are risks involved.

 

[Stevicus]

Isn't this comforting to know?

"More than half of pilots have fallen asleep while in charge of a plane, a survey by a pilots' union suggests.

Of the 56% who admitted sleeping, 29% told Balpa that they had woken up to find the other pilot asleep as well.

The survey comes after it emerged that two pilots on an Airbus passenger plane were asleep at the same time, with the aircraft being flown on autopilot."

'More than half' of pilots have slept while flying - BBC News

More than half of pilots have fallen asleep while in charge of a plane, a survey by a pilots' union suggests.

www-bbc-com.cdn.ampproject.org

Well, thank goodness for the automatic pilot.

 

[We Never Know]

Well, thank goodness for the automatic pilot.

I was waiting for that to 'pop' up

 

[Stevicus]

I was waiting for that to 'pop' up

Seriously, though, I think we're probably heading more and more towards automation. So, human pilots may be there just in case the automatic pilot deflates or something.

With computer-controlled cars and other vehicles becoming a thing, soon we'll see the skies with planes flown by automatic pilots (AI).

 

[Revoltingest]

I'm only guessing here, but I suspect that this is not nearly as worrisome as it appears at first glance.

I may be wrong, but I get the sense that modern planes tend to flight most of the time by autopilot and to make loud noises whenever anything worth of attention is detected by their rather impressive sensor arrays.

Prompt response is rarely even a concern outside of take-off and landing situations.

I like watching a TV show, Air Disasters.
While airplane safety is great & improving,
pilot fatigue is nonetheless a problem.
It's killed people in many accidents.
Being asleep is merely one aspect.
Slowed reflexes, & reduced alertness &
mental acuity is the big problem.