Posted on 03/23/2023 5:03:46 AM PDT by T.B. Yoits
A pilot had a medical emergency on a Southwest Airlines flight from Las Vegas to Columbus, Ohio today. The pilot was removed from the flight deck when this occurred, according to a spokesperson for the airline, and a pilot from another airline who happened to be on board “assisted with radio communication” with the other Southwest pilot commanded the aircraft.
This incident was first reported on Twitter by Charlotte-based American Airlines Airbus first officer Josh Yoder.
The aircraft initially departed on schedule, flew out over Utah north of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, before returning to the gate in Las Vegas nearly two hours later. The 18 year old ex-China Eastern 737-700 finally departed again for Columbus at 11:02 a.m. – four hours and 22 minutes after originally-scheduled departure – and arrived in Columbus at 5:01 p.m.
According to Southwest Airlines spokesperson Chris Perry, Southwest Flight 6013 from Las Vegas to Columbus, Ohio returned to LAS after departure on Wednesday when one of our Pilots needed medical attention. The flight landed safely, and an alternate Flight Crew is operating the flight to CMH. We commend the Crew for their professionalism and appreciate our Customers’ patience and understanding regarding the situation.
Naturally everyone’s thoughts are with the pilot who required assistance. Two pilots still make sense in the cockpit, though eventually that will change. Still, the single remaining Southwest Airlines pilot would have been capable of returning the aircraft to the ground. Having another airline pilot available to assist, though details aren’t available on whether they were type-rated for the 737, was certainly helpful and an additional stroke of luck.
My second thought of course went to a pilot falling ill in the cockpit and Ted Striker being asked to assist with the radio.
I was very uneasy when they started flying long distances over water with 737’s.
One pilot? Not with me onboard unless I am in the right seat.
It's an entirely different kind of flying.....altogether.
” Two pilots still make sense in the cockpit, though eventually that will change. Still, the single remaining Southwest Airlines pilot would have been capable of returning the aircraft to the ground. Having another airline pilot available to assist, though details aren’t available on whether they were type-rated for the 737, was certainly helpful and an additional stroke of luck.”
First of all, this A-hole doesn’t know the first thing about commercial aviation.
1. It takes TWO pilots to safely fly a commercial jet. The co-pilot is not there just in case the pilot gets sick (or since the jabs, DIES)
They are BOTH flying the airplane. (especially during take offs and landings. Also in bad weather.)
The pilots are described as “pilot flying” and “pilot monitoring” irrespective of which one is the “pilot” or “co-pilot.
They EACH have specific jobs BOTH necessary to safely fly the airplane.
Todays commercial jets are so complicated that it takes TWO to tango (fly the plane).
For the same reason that you wouldn’t want the driver of a car you are in speeding down the interstate talking on the phone, looking at a map, going through a written list of what you are going to do when you get there. And they are ON THE GROUND!
The pilot and co-pilot split/share the same duties. In an emergency the “pilot” may take over “my airplane” but may also decide that in the particular situation the co-pilot already flying is the best to continue. It is a “command decision” nothing more. BOTH pilots are qualified to handle all situations.
Any situation that comes up has a “check list”. You don’t want the “pilot flying” doing that. You don’t want the “pilot flying” handling communications which many times are crucial and attention/time consuming. You want the “pilot monitoring doing that.
In ANY emergency situation, two heads are better than one.
“though details aren’t available on whether they were type-rated for the 737”
He was a pilot from another airline. An “airline pilot” not a crop duster.
He didn’t necessarily “take over” as a “co-pilot”, he just helped with radio communications.
It is a TWO person job. One and a half is better than one.
Whether “type rated” on a 737 or not doesn’t mean he wasn’t familiar with the 737. You can only be rated to fly ONE type at a time. He might not be type rated currently for a 737, but might have flown them for the past 10 years. In any case, he knew how to use the radio.
“Two pilots still make sense in the cockpit, though eventually that will change.”
I don’t and won’t fly now but sure won’t under those terms.
“Radio operator” means he was handling comms with ATC which is usually the role of the co-pilot, who is fully rated to also fly the aircraft.
The author is ignorant of the roles of the pilot-in-command (PIC) and the First Officer.
I would think the flight crew knows of other pilots on board just in case!!
I wonder if they whisper into the cockpit while boarding “I’m in seat 17F if you need me.”
Must’ve had the fish
I had the lasagna.
“ It’s an entirely different kind of flying, altogether. ”
(As a group): “It’s an entirely different kind of flying”
Surely there must be something you can do ...
Clearly you have some commercial flying background—perhaps 121. Your horizon might be somewhat limited. Are you aware single pilot operations are authorized-even in limited commercial application but certainly part 91 ops and have been for many years? Airplane, pilot, and operator all certified.
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Ryan Cunningham
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🚨BREAKING: A southwest pilot departing from Las Vegas become incapacitated mid flight. The pilot was removed from the flight deck mid flight and replaced with a non-southwest pilot who was on the plane.
This comes on the heels of the FAA decreasing the cardiac physical requirements for pilots, because so many failed.
4:15 PM · Mar 22, 2023
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