Posted on 10/09/2008 4:42:24 AM PDT by billorites
The Federal Aviation Administration has begun scrutinizing YouTube videos taken from the cockpits of Horizon Air planes.
Although most of the videos have been taken down, the FAA and Horizon Air confirmed they are cooperating in an investigation into possible cockpit violations in which pilots allowed personal electronic devices to be used to record takeoffs and landings.
With the exception of filming for training, it is against federal regulations for pilots or passengers to use such devices during takeoffs and landings, as they could interfere with instrument and landing system navigation radios.
Cockpits also are supposed to be sterile environments, free of distractions, and federal regulations prohibit pilots from being engaged in any activity below 10,000 feet that is not conducive to flights.
"We do not condone anything like that," Horizon Air spokeswoman Jen Boyer said of the takeoff and landing videos that were posted.
"We are cooperating with the FAA. We were all over it right away and immediately talked to our entire pilot crew," the spokeswoman said.
< SNIP >
Boyer said Horizon Air knows of one recent incident under investigation. The video was still posted as recently as several days ago, but it has been removed.
It was evidently taken by someone in the cockpit's jump seat, not a pilot. It showed a takeoff from Boise with audio that said: "I was lucky enough to have a jump seater take video of me in action! We're departing Boise for Seattle."
Boyer said open jump seats can be used by airline employees or those of other airlines on reciprocal agreements, but the same rules apply.
"We have a very strict sterile cockpit policy, which includes jump seater," she said. That also means sitting quietly in silence under 10,000 feet and doing nothing to distract the crew, she said.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattlepi.nwsource.com ...
If the pilot and copilot were sending text messages to teenage boys while landing, I’d really be concerned.
Cool, what does this button do?!? Ooops...
I've never seen evidence that this is true. Has anyone else seen interference?
As someone who worked as an electronics troop in the Air Force I am very familiar with EMI and can tell you unequivocally that this is Bravo Sierra.
Here in OLE MExico, some of the National airlines put on the screen for ALL to see the take off, and the landing of the aircraft. Kind of neat.
Completly false, by the way.
It is a false claim. Avionics is very well made. I suspect that they are actually doing, without the honesty, is attempting to prevent potential terrorists from signalling departure events or listening to ground/approach control radio. That would help to thwart coordination between aircraft.
Is dosen't prevent the same thing from occuring in the gate house, so now you know why only ticketed passengers can pass security.
A couple of airlines did that in the States in the 80s — Continental as I recall. It was really neat, wasn’t it? I think the fear of having evidence recorded in the event of a crash put an end to that.
Just more evidence of 8 years of failure and misdirection. His agency chiefs are supposed to run their agencies with iron fists. Instead Cheney picked them to be compliant. As near as I can tell there are two real leaders in the US government right now. Rober Gates and David Petraeus. The rest are hacks like Harriet Miers and that idiot Bush put in charge of FEMA.
Voted for Kerry?
Voting for Obama too.
Jimmy Carter your hero.
I said Gates and Petraeus. They are unbotching Iraq, and hopefully Afghanistan. I am sure that you are please with Paulson's strong direction and leadership on the economic front.
Like I said. Otherwise, guilty as charged.
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