[yldstrk]

That is frightening. Thank heaven the copilot had his wits about him.

[Old_Mil]

Not particularly surprising, at most airlines the major distinction between captain and first officer is seniority (time on the property), not experience or training. In fact, with the disruptions following 9/11, there are many former captains with thousands of hours of flight time starting their careers over as first officers at other airlines (making breaking in to the industry for the next decade or two next to impossible).

[meyer]

That's why we have co-pilots.

[smalltownslick]

"The airline said only that the pilot suffered a "serious medical problem." Continental believes the pilot died of natural causes..."

This is just weird, the kind of gibberish these "spokespeople" spout. Uh, the guy's dead, yeah, I think that would be a serious medical problem. And they BELIEVE he died of natural causes?? What's the alternative, an in-flight drug overdose or murder?

[Jeff Chandler]

Did he eat the fish?

[I see my hands]

Thanks for all the safe flights, fly guy. Rest in peace.

[umgud]

The flight, bound for Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, took off from Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport

Bush's fault?

[SIDENET]

The airline said only that the pilot suffered a "serious medical problem."

Yeah, I think DEATH qualifies as a "serious medical problem".

[pabianice]

Guy had a first class medical within the past six months and dropped dead. Meanwhile, the FAA demands that recreational pilots all have medical certificates. The FAA will not discuss the fact that there is zero statistical correlation between having a medical certificate and the incidence of in-flight medical incapacitation. !@#$%^& bureaucrats.

[paulat]

Was God the co-pilot?

[Dr. Scarpetta]

This is a sad story and must have been tough on the crew.

[Vicomte13]

Hell of a way to earn your flight commander's qual...