Call for more exhaustive psychological testing of airline pilots intensifies...

[Surya Gayatri]

This gleaned from the latest revelations on Lubitz's mental state:

"Calls for more exhaustive psychological testing of airline pilots intensified as it became clear that few national aviation authorities require formal psychometric testing once aircrew have qualified.

While almost all pilots undergo a full medical examination once or twice a year, most of it is physiological: height, weight, heart, blood, urine, eyesight. Technical ability is tested on a simulator.

The psychological component of most airline medicals consists of a few “general questions” about aircrews’ mood, family relations, sleep patterns and alcohol use, and whether they have suffered any recent episodes of depression or suicidal feelings.

Doctors can order formal psychological tests if they think they are necessary, however, and pilots are expected to report any mental health issues they experience themselves or observe in colleagues."

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/27/germanwings-co-pilot-andreas-lubitzs-background-under-scrutiny

Debate on-going in the aviation industry right now, but this looks to be a game changer.
Most airlines are moving to a mandatory 'two-in-the-cockpit' configuration, and some are even arguing for three.

All airlines are reviewing their psych screening and reporting procedures.

[anotojefiremnesuka]

1. Those of us of a certain advanced age remember when the Airlines pretty much only hired pilots with

military experience, basically the military did the culling of the herd for them.

Today pretty much anyone who completes a commercial flight program can get hired by the airlines, why because of the Airlines race to the bottom.

Pilots for the airlines don’t make jack shit today, starting form many airlines is $25k per year or less, for what they have to do so those with lots of flight time and experience are choosing not to work for the airlines hence you end up with a person sitting in the cockpit with only 600 hours of fight time.

They can test all they want but I doubt it will really improve the quality of pilots today.

[Surya Gayatri]

2. Very interesting point I had not considered. Yes, in the

early days of commercial aviation, most pilots were indeed recruited from the military ranks.

Now any wide-eyed kid whose parents have the money can 'follow their dream', even if they are imminently unqualified.

[anotojefiremnesuka]

3. You make the early days sound like the Wright Bros era!

The race to the bottom started much later but noticeable by the mid 1980s when large numbers of veteran pilots were choosing not to fly for the airlines.

Now many of the former military pilots are taking jobs flying private planes for the 1% instead.

What is interesting is that the 1% who own the airlines are getting the cheapest labor they can for the 99% but for them it is nothing but the best.

[Surya Gayatri]

4. I really should have said 'in the early days of

transcontinental big-jet travel, which dates back to the early 70s.

Yes, that did sound a bit 'antiquarian'.

Yeah, the bigshots of those same airlines fly private--no airbourne cattle cars for them.

[anotojefiremnesuka]

5. One of the draw backs of the internet is

you don't know the age of the other person so perception of time and events in the past change relative to the persons age.

[Surya Gayatri]

6. Well, my experience with jumbo jets is fairly revealing...

I first came to Europe as a young woman back in the early 70s with one of the ground breaking mass-travel jumbo-jet deals on KLM.

That really dates me, huh?

[HockeyMom]

7. Lufthansa Strip Search in 1975

Remember the hijackings back in the 70s? We took a commuter flight inside Germany. Everyone with a foreign passport (US included) were strip searched before boarding the plane. Literally. Women's exam was done by a huge Matron. SHE looked like former Military.

Captain of the flight was an older man with grey hair. Co-pilot could not have been younger than 40s. They met the passengers at the door. No pleasantries whatsoever. They stood their looking over every passenger. Military? ROFL Frightening looking dudes.

After this experience, we were very happy to fly back on a US airline. Point? Not only former military personnel, but they were not taking any chances whatsoever back in those days.

[Surya Gayatri]

8. I too have been patted down by some pretty scary-looking ladies...LOL!

And, when the wand alarm goes off, you know you're not going to be allowed through to the gate for a good few minutes yet!

I now have a knee replacement that sets the alarm off automatically. I try to remember to announce that fact before submitting myself to the agent's TLC.

[NaturalHigh]

10. Show me one pilot making < 25000 per year.

[laundry_queen]

9. They should be reviewing their screening requirements

actually, they should be requiring regular psych evals. My SIL is a cop and she has to go for in depth psych evals and counselling every year (which is how she found out her mother has a personality disorder). My brother sometimes also has to participate in the counselling (separately), as generally they like to interview immediate family to ask about any signs of mental illness or other things. It should be the same for pilots - or any job where people's lives are at risk. Yearly psych evals and family interviews. That would've prevented this tragedy, for sure.