What happens if......

[Daisy]

Hello there, just wondered if you could answer a few questions for me.

What happens if you are taken ill during a flight?

Assuming the answer is that the co-pilot takes over, how do his credentials differ from yours ie: is he as qualified? If so, why is he not captain? Can a plane fly and land safely with only one pilot?

What happens if you both fall ill during the flight? {say you have both eaten something dodgy beforehand}

And finally, has this ever happened to you? Or do you know if it has happened to both pilots at the same time?

Thanks
Daisy x

[Falcon]

If one of the pilots becomes ill the cabin crew are called immediately. All three are fully first aid trained. Pilots have become ill enough to be unable to fly but still been conscious. The procedure is to land at the nearest suitable airfield. The aircraft can easily be flown by one person but they not designed to be single pilot and the workload requires two people.

All of us are very aware of our fitness to fly and if any of use woke up in the morning with a touch of food poisoning we would call in sick. No questions no bargaining. If we have blocked ears we don't come in to work, period.

If my Captain fell ill I would declare an emergency to get the help of Air traffic control and make them aware we are single pilot. All First Officers have taken the same exams and passed the same test and undergo the same twice yearly proficiency checks as Captains. The only difference is Captains have been doing the job longer and have been through a command course to train them up for the left seat. Skill and knowledge wise there is probably not much in it but the Captain has much more experience. Illness in flight is very rare and a Captain passing on in flight as only happened once on a British flight. It was on finals into Malaga and the First Officer made a normal landing and called for the ambulance to meet the aircraft.

You can reassure yourself that if we don't feel fit enough to fly we don't show up for work.

[Daisy]

Thanks for the reply. I didnt even think of them passing away during the flight!

[Falcon]

It has only happened once, rest assured all eventualities have been considered

[Daisy]

I have just done the online fear of flying course and it recomends you take a trip to the cockpit before take-off to meet the pilots as a way of calming your nerves. I am flying with Virgin Atlantic from Manchester to Orlando - do they allow this? I didnt think they would after 9/11.

Daisy x

[Falcon]

Not during the flight any more but if you Board early you could ask the Cabin staff if you can see it before sitting down, if they have time thay might oblige.

[Lynda]

Daisy, we took my grandaughters to Orlando last year and we did a visit to the cockpit . The pilot's were really great. It was the girls first flight and no mummy just me a grandpop

[Lynda]

Here are our young pilot's on the flight to Orlando!

Larger pic

[Daisy]

Lynda, what beautiful grandchildren you have. Are they twins?

[Lynda]

Thank you Daisy,

Yes they are identical twins, now eleven years old.