Air France crash pilots not trained for emergency, says coroner
An Air France crash which killed all 228 passengers onboard has highlighted concerns that pilots aren’t retaining the skills to properly fly complex commercial aircraft, a coroner warned.
Speaking at the inquest of two British men who were onboard the Air France jet when it plunged into the Atlantic Ocean in 2009, coroner Michael Oakley said the pilots flying the aircraft from Brazil to France were not adequately trained for the emergency.
Recording a narrative verdict on the Arthur Coakley, 61, and Neil Warrier, 48, Oakley said there had been a series of "systematic failures".
These included a blockage of the tubes that measured the aircraft’s fluid pressures, as well as human error.
Mr Oakley said there was "a lack of comprehension of the aircraft’s situation between the pilots during the flight.
"The pilots were not adequately trained to handle the aircraft safely in the particular high-altitude emergency situation that night.
"The air disaster highlights serious public concern of whether pilots are overly dependent on technology and are not retaining the skills required to properly fly complex commercial aircraft."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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