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Cockpit Camera's. What you don't know...

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Rez O. Lewshun

Save the Profession
Joined
Jan 19, 2004
Posts
13,422
At our company we've had to negotiate language that protects our CVR/FDR data. Just like your company email, the company owns CVR/FDR data until an NTSB defined event occurs. Only then does the company have to surrender the data to the gov't.

Here is the problem at my company and yours.....

If the company hears about a flight....any flight, did you know they can remove THIER CVR/FDR data anytime they want to analyze and judge what you've said or did... They can use that data against you. Just like your company email.....

Cockpit camera's...... A place to hang my hat!!

This is one reason why SWA, jB, Airtran, and other non ALPA pilots should contribute to ALPA-PAC. It's not the politican.....it is the issue!! and the issue is big brother's web cam over your shoulder!

Here is ALPA's statement on Cockpit Cams... (see bold)


ALPA Opposes Video Imaging in Cockpit

WASHINGTON, D.C.---Calling proposals to install video cameras in the cockpits of commercial airliners the "fool’s gold" of accident investigation, representatives of the Air Line Pilots Association today told officials at an NTSB hearing that pilots are universally opposed to the idea.

"ALPA is strongly opposed to cockpit imaging recorders because the benefits of video imaging are vastly overrated, and because far more effective and efficient tools exist that will not only obtain the safety data necessary to accurately investigate an accident, but also help to prevent future accidents," said Capt. Paul Rice, ALPA’s vice president of administration.

"The imagery information gathered from cockpit image recorders is subjective, not objective, and is unlikely to provide the detailed data that proponents promise or that is vital to any accurate air carrier accident investigation. On the other hand, data from sources such as the digital flight data recorder is unambiguous and not subject to analytical shortcomings associated with video. The NTSB has already recommended expanding the amount of information gathered by the digital flight data recorder, and we fully agree. Expanded DFDR data will be far more effective than adding video," Rice said.

"The Commercial Aviation Safety Team, an industry and government group convened to analyze accidents and rank the critical actions that would enhance commercial aviation safety, didn’t include cockpit video anywhere on its list. Nor are we aware of any strong desire by the FAA for cockpit cameras," Rice said.

"History has shown that in the current environment it is impossible to safeguard the privacy of cockpit voice recorders, much less cockpit image recorders. When cockpit voice recorders were originally installed, it was done with clear expectations about pilot privacy. Those expectations have not been met, even with the strong legislative protections enacted in later years. Note the Cali, Colombia accident as a shameful example of how these recordings can find their way into the news media. Given the significant technological concerns that exist, ALPA does not believe that the costs and pilot privacy issues are outweighed by any purported benefits," Rice said.

ALPA, the world’s oldest and largest pilot union, represents 64,000 airline pilots at 42 airlines in the U.S. and Canada. Its website is at www.alpa.org.
 
Exactly

Rez O. Lewshun said:
"History has shown that in the current environment it is impossible to safeguard the privacy of cockpit voice recorders, much less cockpit image recorders. When cockpit voice recorders were originally installed, it was done with clear expectations about pilot privacy. Those expectations have not been met, even with the strong legislative protections enacted in later years. Note the Cali, Colombia accident as a shameful example of how these recordings can find their way into the news media. Given the significant technological concerns that exist, ALPA does not believe that the costs and pilot privacy issues are outweighed by any purported benefits," Rice said.[/size][/font]

This is exactly how I feel.

Especially now that reality TV--with the emphasis on "shocking"--is all the rage, all the more reason to keep camera's out of the cockpit.

Not only that, but how many training videos have we personally watched in groundschool that feature the actual cockpit conversation. How easy would it be to get that in the hands of the media, let alone a cockpit video used ostensibly for "training".

If they want to install cameras in the cabin or the exterior of the aircraft I would accept that, but right now, CVR and FDR technology is advanced enough to adequately investigate an accident. They don't need the video.

Except, I admit, it would have helped the case in that Egyptian crash where all of CVR and FDR data point to a deliberate act but all they were missing was video.

Oh well, that's still not a good enough reason for me.

I'd vote to keep camera's out of the cockpit.
 
mar said:
How easy would it be to get that in the hands of the media, let alone a cockpit video used ostensibly for "training".
It's already out there. There are plenty of sites where you can download CVR audio files. No way do I want cockpit crash video on the net and news.
 
Every move of the aircraft is recorded by the FDR and everything we say is recorded by the CVR..................Why the HE!! do they need to watch us on TV!!! It really can't be that exciting watching us twiddle our thumbs at 35,000 feet with the autopilot on.
 
The trial lawyers association probably has a big hand in this. They pushed long and hard and managed to get video recorders into hospital emergency and delivery rooms to facilitate the ease of assigning blame if there is any hiccup in a medical procedure. I can just see one of these sharks going all the way to the supreme court to force the release of a cockpit video to support their suit against an airline or flight crew.:mad: :mad:
 
It's ok to vent, but you guys will get used to it in time.
 
Given my limited time in 152s...maybe I'm not understanding this but...

...if you're doing what you're supposed to be doing, why does it matter?

again...if I'm not getting it, please esplain...

-mini
 
minitour said:
Given my limited time in 152s...maybe I'm not understanding this but...

...if you're doing what you're supposed to be doing, why does it matter?

again...if I'm not getting it, please esplain...

-mini
I think what the one guy was saying was, that if he did something negligent that resulted in personal injury, property damage or death, he wouldn't want a lawyer using the video tape as evidence to hang him in a civil trial.
 
I think it would be great to have a camera in the cockpit...I'm always looking for a place to hang my hat anyway, why not hang it on the camera?
 
All the scrutiny 121 pilots go though is tough but hey , at least we're not apollo astronauts, rectal thermometers--OUCH


But seriously, couldn't they find a better safety improvement? Possibly more advanced flight data recoders or more sensitive ones?
 
Given my limited time in 152s...maybe I'm not understanding this but...

...if you're doing what you're supposed to be doing, why does it matter?

again...if I'm not getting it, please esplain...
You know, domestic violence, drug use, kiddie porn etc. are rampant in this country. Why not just put cameras in everyone's house? If you aren't doing anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about!


Cameras in the cockpit are a solution to a non existant problem, and open up even mare legal cans of worms for professional flight crew (and their families) than are already there. CVR data SHOULD be confidential, and never released for the general public consumption. Nothing like monday morning quarterbacking by a bunch of no good lawyers......
 
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minitour said:
Given my limited time in 152s...maybe I'm not understanding this but...

...if you're doing what you're supposed to be doing, why does it matter?

again...if I'm not getting it, please esplain...

-mini
Cuz when I'm bang'n away at some young FA while the Capt'n is sleeping, I don't want the whole world to see it .. not for free anyway. Now if I could make a few extra bux by telecasting that feed on PPV or something .. that would be different.

But peep shows for free .. at my expense .. furggedabaddit!
 
dash8driver said:
exactly what are we supposed to be doing up there?
uhhhh...one would assume flying...but maybe I missed something there too?

seriously all thanks for clearing that up...as usual I miss something simple...if it ain't in a text book...

-mini
 
minitour said:
uhhhh...one would assume flying...but maybe I missed something there too?
..and can you describe what that looks like exactly? because when your employer is looking at your tapes, they might have a different idea of what its supposed to look like.

unlike light aircraft flying, flying an airliner doesnt involve the standard pose of one hand on the yoke, one on the throttle and looking up and down between your instruments and the outside all day long.

minitour said:
seriously all thanks for clearing that up...as usual I miss something simple...if it ain't in a text book...

-mini
no worries, there is just so much that can go wrong with cockpit camera with very little positive gain, and there are so many other areas that could use the time and money instead.

supporters will point to the egypt air crash, but that was only ONE accident out of how many more? if you counted all the accidents that investigators could have used a video image, its a very small percentage of all the accidents and hardly worth the investment.

for the people that point to the hijackings as a need. why do we need to see how the pilots are being killed and the plane flown into a building? that wont help anything, its already too late. how about spend that time and money to make sure it doesnt happen in the first place so you dont have to worry about watching it on a cockpit camera or cnn for that matter.
 
dash8driver said:
for the people that point to the hijackings as a need. why do we need to see how the pilots are being killed and the plane flown into a building? that wont help anything, its already too late. how about spend that time and money to make sure it doesnt happen in the first place so you dont have to worry about watching it on a cockpit camera or cnn for that matter.
Hijackers that know how to turn the xpdr off, will know how to pull the breaker for the camera or turn it off :) Its not like they can place it in a random location everytime.

i job! ;)
 
I would bet that if the hijackers in 2001 had cameras in those Boeings, they sure wouldn't have been turned off. And yes, cameras do not stop anything. You just get to watch on CNN every 15 minutes how pax and crew are killed, just as you watch hijackers and illegals pass through security and border check points with bogus documents.
 
This is slightly off topic, but there was a time when cameras were installed in a few airline cockpits, it was part of the inflight entertainment system. As always, there were those crew members who recognized a good "opportunity" when they saw it...

Does anyone remember the classic story about the (AA?) crew that involved a sleeve from a gorilla costume, a banana and a cockpit camera? It happened several years ago, but I'm kind of foggy about the details. As the story goes, the pilot flying put on a sleeve from a gorilla costume just prior to taking the runway. In the passenger cabin, the TV monitors showed this hairy gorilla arm pushing the power levers up for takeoff. At some point after the takeoff, the gorilla put his hand out and the other pilot slaps a banana in it. Funny stuff, but of course, some of the passengers were upset and the airline was embarrassed by it. It was in all of the newspapers and made network news.

Actually, IMHO, the reason why you probably won't ever see it is quite simple - the pilot unions would have a freaking cow.


Lead Sled
 
It's ok with some conditions:

1. Every medical procedure is taped and archieved.
2. You're allowed to bring in recorders to every doctor visit.
3. All BOD meetings are taped as are any interface between corporate executives
4. All governmental meetings (especially the FAA) and White House are taped.
5. You're allowed to tape any meetings with your lawyer
6. All jury deliberations are taped and made available

Something like 50,000 people a year die due to honest medical mistakes and incompetence every year. EXPOTENTIALLY more than in aviation accidents. Why aren't all physicians taped?

Why aren't physicians randomly drug tested?
 
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that gorrila hand story is about as funny as that dorky ACA dork jet photo the regional guys are getting a woody about.

Actually, IMHO, the reason why you probably won't ever see it is quite simple - the pilot unions would have a freaking cow.

Lead Sled
So they would have a cow...airline pilot unions are pretty powerful, they have negotiated billion dollar pay declines in droves in order to remain in competition with themselves, I suppose with that kind of lobbying power they should be able to fight city hall.

I am not saying they should be put in the planes, but you guys are going to have to come up with a better defense than monkey gloves and not wanting them.
 

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