have my seat Miss

[Guest Macnoz]

Stewardess in the pilot's seat: Flying High on Jetstar

 

2 September 2008 Ben Sandilands writes:

 

Why is a flight attendant sitting in the captain’s seat of a Jetstar A330 in level flight at around 250 knots airspeed?

 

And who else was on the flight deck when the first officer posed in the same seat after or before the 305-passenger jet appears to have slightly changed its heading?

 

CASA says it doesn’t act on anonymous photographs.

 

We obscured the faces of the flight attendant and first officer, but Crikey will send CASA the unedited images.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are enough breaches of air safety regulations implicit in these images to result in criminal prosecutions.

 

The sender of these images points out that the first officer may well have proper cause to be in the left hand seat in providing relief to the captain, or for training purposes if it wasn’t a flight carrying passengers.

 

However, the air safety regulations only allow appropriately licensed and qualified persons to occupy a control seat while an aircraft is in flight.

 

The anonymous emailer lists several risks in the situation of the flight attendant in a pilot’s seat.

 

An instruction for a change in heading or altitude by air traffic control may not be acted upon.

 

She would be incapable of responding to a TCAS or automated collision alert system warning which is triggered when aircraft are converging courses, and depends on the pilots of each flight diving, climbing or changing course according to a computer generated instruction.

 

In an emergency procedure caused by a cabin depressurisation or an engine fire she would be occupying a seat urgently required by a pilot.

 

Our informant is critical of the pilot culture at Jetstar and says, "Due to an industrial requirement of keeping costs low promoting pilots in house, the experience, safety culture and compliance with simple regulatory requirements have been neglected.

 

"Alan Joyce [currently Jetstar CEO pending taking over that role at Qantas] stated some time ago his concerns that bringing in qualified crew would 'pollute the Jetstar culture' . One must wonder exactly what culture he is trying to protect."

 

Jetstar this morning launched a full inquiry into the matter and has also notified CASA of its inquiries.

 

 

[Spriteah]

At least she is awake!

 

 

[skybum]

Crikey! Enough differences in the photoes to be a different flight in each photo. Maybe, someone's private collection has made it into the press.

 

There was a time where this was very common. Since Sept11, security has got just that little bit silly. A shame really. This is just a beatup that is going to result in some poor bugger getting in a lot of hot water for happy snaps.

 

 

[facthunter]

Change of seats.

 

For the f/o to change seats during flight,(IF he did) there must be a time when no-one is in any seat. THAT is a worry. Having one pilot absent was never considered a problem as far as I know. (there were requirements relating to the readiness of the oxygen mask and the seat belt had to remain fastened).

 

A passenger could occupy the right hand seat ( fitted with controls, but only REQUIRED to be flown by ONE pilot) under some circumstances, like responsible person, instructed to be clear of controls etc. I have experienced this personally, and was not even spoken to by the pilot or anyone else. I don't believe that he even knew that I was a pilot. Nev..

 

 

[motzartmerv]

ive seen a...ummm...video, of a french airline captian and a stewardess, in uummm ahhhh a very compromising position, a few positions in fact.. filmed by the second officer, from various positions in the cockpit, IN FLIGHT. with no-one at either control seat (unless you count a stewardess kneeling on it). i won't post a link, but if you look hard enough, you will find it..oh those french...;)

 

 

[Guest brentc]

I consider the whole thing a beat-up because the FO is happily (probably) sitting in their seat so there is a pilot in command at all times. Remember that there is no 'command' seat in an aircraft as long as dual controls are fitted.

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

I consider the whole thing a beat-up because the FO is happily (probably) sitting in their seat so there is a pilot in command at all times.

I agree, but if captain's an idiot, uhr, I mean not trained properly, this can happen:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroflot_Flight_593

 

 

[Guest brentc]

True. Also there may not have been any passengers on board either!

 

It's the risk we all take when we take someone flying.

 

 

[antzx6r]

What indications are there that the jet is even airbourne? flight instruments are small enough that a couple of pixels could be doctored to show any alt.

 

 

[Seal]

My question is "who cares"? I mean, we have some people sitting in unusual positions in an a cockpit which may or may not be airbourne, may or may not be carrying passengers and may or may not actually be an aeroplane. We are supposed to be in aviation for fun and recreation and here are people debating the ins and outs of the regulations. Who gives a rat's if people play musical chairs in an aeroplane that is perfectly capable of flying itself from takeoff to landing?

 

A better question is why are we having thinly disguised adverts for a commercial news (sort of) site posted on this forum?

 

 

[Guest Macnoz]

Conspiracy theorists abound!

 

 

It’s far from an advert I guarantee you and further from being thinly disguised. This is an exact cut and paste of a free daily email to “Crikey squatters” such as me.

 

Like many of you I think it is a bit OTT and that was why I posted it

 

 

[Guest Macnoz]

I self moderated – (I wonder is that a sin) and removed the link that had been included in the email I got.

 

Hell yeah I might now have breached copyright by not reproducing the article in its entirety but heh now I have seal of approval LOL

 

 

 

[Seal]

I think that was sort of my point. These things are sent out as advertising and IMHO it is not much help to have them posted holus bolus here.

 

A better approach may be to post the link to the article and then add any comments you may have on it.

 

 

[Guest Macnoz]

Interesting you = me cant just post a link to the individual article!

 

The link would be to the entire online edition!

 

I just trawled PPrune to discover “we” beat them posting this here. Mind you it was an Australian that did get it there later in the day.