Airline pilots 'lack basic skills'

Airline pilots increasingly lack 'basic flying skills' and may be unable to cope with an in-flight emergency such as sudden machine failure, internal documents from Britain's major pilots' union claim.

The British Airline Pilots' Association (Balpa) has raised concern that passenger safety could be at risk because pilots are not being encouraged or trained to fly manually. The union warns that pilots, under pressure from airlines, are becoming too reliant on 'automated' systems and this means the 'safe operation of a modern commercial aircraft is compromised'.

The draft document, drawn up for officials at the Department for Transport, claims that the motive behind the increasing move from manual training to the use of automated systems is cost-driven. It is alleged that one European carrier does not even practise manual landings, choosing instead to rely on computerised flying simulators.

'There is great pressure from certain quarters to reduce the content, mainly the practical airborne flying element, and perhaps hence the cost of pilot training,' states the document.

Martin Alder, a serving pilot and Balpa safety expert who helped compile the findings, said: 'The style of flying and training means that people will be less able or less likely to cope, which has obvious safety concerns.

'The ultimate scenario is to go to Aberdeen in really bad weather and a short runway and suddenly you have to start learning basic flying skills.'

Aircraft manufacturers, along with air traffic control staff, share their concerns, according to Balpa. 'We have seen a change in the profile of accidents which is tending to show a lack of technical skills and knowledge as a growing concern,' said Alder.

He pointed to the case of a 747 cargo plane that crashed near Stansted airport six years ago. Investigators found that a crucial air navigation instrument had failed during the incident, in which the aircraft lost control, killing its four crew.

Balpa concerns come in the wake of last Sunday's crash in which 121 passengers and crew died when a Helios plane crashed outside Athens. Although there is no suggestion that pilot error was to blame, investigators will continue to explore the crash site. At this stage, the most likely theory remains a failure of the air pressure system, oxygen supply, or both.

Balpa's claims have been dismissed by airlines, who say that the trend towards automation has increased passenger safety.

Vincent Devroey, spokesman for the Association of European Airlines, whose members include British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, said: 'I don't share these concerns. Airlines are tying to make training more efficient but are not compromising on safety. It is true that we have moved towards a more simulator-based system, but that is more like a real aeroplane and is not a saving on safety.'

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[Courtesy of http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1553443,00.html]