In aviation, safety is paramount, and airlines strive to enhance safety redundancies to minimize the risk of injuries and fatalities in the event of an accident. In light of this, airline safety organizations have contemplated scenarios where a pilot might become incapacitated during a flight, raising the question: who will help the remaining pilot land the plane? To address this, the International Airlines Organization (IAO) has mandated that starting April 1, 2024, airlines are required to have flight attendants undergo flight deck training to equip them with the knowledge needed to land a plane.
In the event that one pilot becomes incapacitated, flight attendants must be able to assist the remaining pilot in safely landing the aircraft.
The IAO stated that airlines must incorporate a brief course on piloting a plane into the initial cabin crew training. Additionally, as part of their recurrent training, flight attendants must demonstrate the ability to land a plane in a simulator to maintain their licenses.
Flight attendant training will now include familiarization with flight deck instruments, controls, and basic navigation. This initiative aims to ensure flight attendants possess the fundamental skills necessary to land an aircraft in emergencies.
Moreover, the IAO recommends that flight attendants complete at least 10 hours of successful landings in a class-D simulator to verify their capability to land a plane under any circumstances if required.
Reversal of Roles
The IAO has introduced another surprising requirement: pilots must also receive some cabin crew training to address potential flight attendant shortages. Starting April 1, pilots will be trained in conducting safety demonstrations and serving passengers during cruise or mid-flight. With the advancement of aircraft technology and autopilot systems, pilots will be able to fulfill a secondary role on flights with insufficient cabin crew members, particularly during full flights.
The IAO’s initiatives aim to enhance both the safety and service quality of flights. Guidelines will soon be distributed to airlines worldwide for immediate implementation starting April 1.
To read more about the IAO’s statement, please do click this.
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