In 2010, JetBlue fl ight attendant Stephen Slater opted to deploy the slide and exit the aircraft as he was sup- posedly fed up with what he called 'rude' passengers
treatment their FAA certification will not be compromised. In the UK, cabin crew must meet the medical requirements of the Civil Aviation Authority, but this is a basic health check, which is carried out at least once every five years and does not include any mental health screening. Corey Caldwell, spokesperson for the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), the US cabin crew union, says that selection, training and a probationary period provide many opportunities to identify crew members who might have debilitating mental health conditions that could be triggered by tense situations. Such a period, common to airlines globally, also provides the opportunity for airlines to identify individuals who may not have a mental health condition but who may not have the right personality type to cope with the demands of the rôle (lack of routine, working away from home frequently, a stressful environment, fatigue) and who could crack in spectacular fashion mid- air, if the pressure was high enough. However, the two flight attendants in the above incidents were industry veterans. Caldwell says that union members have increasingly reported that the stress of their job is increasing. With the increased focus on security threats and fatigue from tighter schedules, Caldwell says the rôle now takes a greater emotional toll than in previous years.
Flight Deck Crew
Another serious incident, which could have had catastrophic consequences, occurred in the US in March 2012; JetBlue Captain Clayton Osbon (who was flying as a First Officer on the flight in question) had a breakdown en route from New York JFK to Las Vegas. According to court documents he turned off the radios and dimmed the monitors in the cockpit. He said aloud that "things just don't matter" and encouraged his fellow pilot to take a leap of faith. He then started
February 2013 Aviationsecurityinternational
walking through the cabin rambling about al-Qaeda, a bomb and threats from Iraq and shouted “they’re going to take us down”. Passengers and crew tackled him to the floor as he tried to re-enter the flight deck; the only injury was bruising to a flight attendant’s ribs. An off-duty airline Captain, who was a passenger on the flight, helped land the plane in Amarillo, Texas. At least 10 passengers have sued JetBlue over the episode. Osbon, who had been charged with interference with a flight crew, was released from a prison medical facility after seven months. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity after a forensic neuropsychologist testified that Osbon had a brief psychotic disorder brought on by lack of sleep. Reports on Osbon's psychiatric evaluations over the past several months have been sealed. Osbon is not allowed on board any flight without permission from the judge in his court case or his probation officer and he must forego his pilot’s license. He must also participate in a treatment programme for alcohol, drug and narcotic dependency.
Neuropsychologist Robert E.H. Johnson testified that Osbon's psychotic disorder at the time of the flight lasted for a further week. He determined Osbon suffered from a brief psychotic disorder and delusions secondary to sleep deprivation. According to Johnson, those symptoms made Osbon incapable of understanding why his actions on the flight were wrong.
A 2007 report by the Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Science at Liverpool John Moores University in the UK found that aircrew working long haul routes were prone to suffering serious jet lag-related health effects, including increases in psychotic and major affective disorders. The research found that individualshat individuals did not get used to jet lag and that it was essential for crew to allow recovery time and to help the body to adjust to the new time zone by deliberately seeking or avoiding light as appropriate.
In 2008, an Air Canada first officer was forcibly removed from the flight deck of a Toronto to London flight, restrained and sedated after having a mental breakdown mid-way across the Atlantic. A
flight
attendant with flying experience
helped the Captain make an emergency diversion to Shannon Airport, Ireland. The
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“...unlike pilots, fl ight attendants in the US do not undergo a medical examination, and airlines are not permitted to ask about mental health conditions...”
co-pilot remained in a psychiatric hospital in Ireland for 11 days before returning to Canada. There have been fatal incidents too. In 1994, Royal Air Maroc flight 630 crashed ten minutes after take-off from Agadir, killing all on board. The investigation found that 32-year-old Captain Younes Khayati had disengaged the auto pilot and intentionally crashed the plane in an act of suicide. An examination of the aircraft’s flight recorders found the co-pilot shouting ‘help, the captain is...’ before she was cut off. It was speculated that Khayati was suicidal over a failed love affair.
On 31 October 1999, notably Halloween, an Egyptair flight en route from New York to Cairo crashed into the sea. There has been much speculation as
As we featured on the front cover of our April 2012 issue, JetBlue Captain Clayton Osbon had to be locked outside the fl ight deck due to his behaviour in-fl ight
www.asi-mag.com THE GLOBAL JOURNAL OF AIRPORT & AIRLINE SECURITY
Pilots-in-Command: but what if they're not?
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APRIL 2012 VOLUME 18 ISSUE 2
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GUIDE SEE PAGE 14
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