Pilots Using Laptops Go 150 Miles Off Course

[JMcEntegart]

Distracted pilots on Wednesday accidentally went 150 miles off their plotted course because they were too busy looking at their laptops to pay attention to the radios.

Pilots Using Laptops Go 150 Miles Off Course : Read more

 

[08nwsula]

150 miles isn't that much considering the average speed of those jets. If they flew into the side of a mountain, that would be bad

 

[dkArchon]

Whatever, I still think that this is a cover story, you don't ignore Air Traffic Control, ever, especially controllers from three different airports. If there was a laptop used, it wasn't a new system they were going over...

 

[asjflask]

They ignored Air Traffic Control? They could have easily killed those people onboard! I hope they both lose their pilot's license and that both pilots are fired. No excuse for this at all. Do research on your own time and on the ground.

 

[portuguesemafia]

Im with you dkarchon . Smell's fishy

 

[warezme]

give the guys a break, it was at least job related. Its not like they were looking at porn.

 

[MiamiU]

[citation][nom]08nwsula[/nom]150 miles isn't that much considering the average speed of those jets. If they flew into the side of a mountain, that would be bad[/citation]

so it isnt bad to be doing something that might lead you to "fly into the side of the mountain" until it actually happens... then its bad?

Hope the pilots learn their lesson

 

[Luscious]

150 miles off course, 90 minutes without communication and the military doesn't scramble a jet to intercept the aircraft???

Something else got screwed up here too.

 

[Guest]

Bull****, they were sleeping.

 

[cielmerlion]

Umm we must be missing something because cruising speed at altitude for jet arcraft ranges from 450-570mph, so a 90 minute veer in direction would take them much more than 150 miles, unless the only veered slightly.

 

[Guest]

They were deep into a raid thanks to the wonders of verizon wireless mobile broadband. You dont give up raid gear for something as trivial as local ATC controllers in some backwater like Eau Claire!!

 

[tenor77]

I really call BS.
Even the most basic planes now have advanced GPS systems take them to the destination and alert you when you're close. They were sleeping.

 

[agentjon]

Post 911 ignoring traffic control is a very very bad thing to do.
They are lucky the alert 5 fighter jets weren't lauched.

 

[monicas]

There's no way this is the real story! I get that they were distracted, but there's no way their on board communications didn't scream at them when they went off course. I'm sure there were several attempts to contact the plane that could not have gone unnoticed. Something is wrong here.

Monica S
Los Angeles Computer Repair
http/www.sebecomputercare.com

 

[gpj]

Toms has only reported the basic facts .. the pilots did not communicate with the Air Traffic controllers FOR 90 minutes - not 90 minutes past their destination. Part of the problem is that nobody noticed them leaving Denver airspace and not establishing contact with the next control tower (which the airline is partly responsible for here along with the pilots). Military Jets were being scrambled, they just never left the ground before the plane resumed communication. They also blame the flight attendants because they should have realized the pilots did not ask them to start landing procedure..

Maybe it was more than just the pilots discussing their new "laptop" hardware.

 

[cookoy]

must be a very complex scheduling system requiring 90 minutes of intensive one-on-one tutoring - not even the Air Traffic Controllers can disrupt them.

 

[AMDnoob]

I dont think the FA's should be blamed (or not much at all), im no FA, but im pretty sure it's not in their job description to alert the pilots that it should be time to land. Also, (for the author), that's not the right plane in the pic It was an Airbus A320, not a Boeing 777, which the 320 would have (tht was said w/ humor, i wasnt like scolding or anything)

 

[Impulse Fire911]

wow....idiots

 

[AtuBrian]

i heard this on the news when i got back from school i find it pretty funny but 500$ refunds to everyone on the plane dang they got a free ride lol

 

[GoOakland]

"If there was a laptop used, it wasn't a new system they were going over..."

Now THATS the truth! I personally dont think their was a laptop at all but that they were asleep. They would have had alarms, lights, whistles, or somethin that they would be unable to ignore.
Now if they were PURPOSELY ignoring the alarms, or whatever they have, then they were definitely doing other things than flight schedules on the laptop.

They were either asleep or watching "entertainment".