NTSB on sleeping Mesa pilots incident, pt 1

[ImbracableCrunk]

I just can't believe that the captain actually admitted to intentionally taking naps in flight on numerous occasions. Very bad idea.

What, to admit to taking naps, or napping?

I'd love to have the FAA say, "Look guys, we know the studies say a quick nap is better than flying sleepy (which is the same as flying drunk)."

And I'm glad he manned up.

 

[PCL_128]

Yes, it would be best if the FAA allowed well-planned nap periods, since that's what the NASA study recommended years ago, but the fact is, it's not allowed right now. Admitting to intentionally sleeping is a bad idea.

 

[Ty Webb]

4:00 a.m. wake-ups, 8 legs a day, hmmm . . . . . the question to me is, "When is the FAA going to quit being an Airline lap-dog and start enforcing some common-sense rules regarding sleep and scheduling?".

TW

.

 

[~~~^~~~]

A hearty "Amen!" ... preach it Brother Ty!

PCL - The Captain had an undiagnosed medical condition. I'd think there would be a medical procedure and a recovery period before seeing his medical again anyway. His FO was probably going to be honest about the napping, so it was best for him to be honest too. They probably filed NASA forms.... so I appreciate the guy's candor. Maybe this helps wake someone at the FAA up!

In the real world, I think FedEx now has it in their Ops Specs that they can nap in cruise, with a briefing prior to execution.

Naps happen with the crazy schedules we work (which would be illegal for a truck driver). I prefer for someone to tell me, get his power nap in, then be alert for approach, landing and taxi operations.

Not that I've ever seen it happen, but I've heard stories.

 

[Raoul Duke]

so you want to ban early flight ops? give me a break they had rest of 13 hours min. this just makes all pilots look bad

 

[~~~^~~~]

How many times do you have rotations with a string of days that duty out after midnight, with a 04:00 duty in the day after? I've had plenty of "min rest" at a hotel undergoing rennovation with banging of every tool known to man, only interrupted by repeated screams of "HOUSEKEEPING - OH! - WHEN YOU CHECKING OUT?"

 

[front9]

First Officer He stated that, in the past year, he had experienced a positive change in his finances as a result of his employment with Mesa Airlines.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA....I dont care who you are, thats some funny SH*T right there!

 

[PCL_128]

PCL - The Captain had an undiagnosed medical condition.

An undiagnosed medical condition doesn't explain intentional napping that he admitted to. It explains this unintentional nap, but it can't justify his naps that he took on purpose. I'm not condemning the guy for taking naps, since we've all been tired flying regional schedules, but admitting to it is just a bad idea. It makes us all look bad in the press, and it makes his case much more difficult when he tries to keep his certs and job.

 

[~~~^~~~]

I dunno - the FO would have told the story anyway. Honesty not always the best policy?

 

[climb2slow]

If all of us were really honest, and spoke our minds, the airlines would either be grounded from lack of flight crews, or something would get changed. The public would be shocked if they knew how many pilots have napped and even slept at the controls.