Airline passengers can never judge a pilot's mental stability, but they can react both positively and effectively in the case of a midair-meltdown like that which happened late last month, says FAA safety management expert David Soucie. After a JetBlue pilot was removed from the cockpit and kept subdued until landing, ASSE caught up with Soucie [read our original interview here] to learn how one crew member took action. “There is little we can do to guarantee the mental stability of any pilot in the cockpit, particularly when they have the pressure of serving as anti-terrorist intelligence agents in addition to flying the plane,” he says. Although the required medical exam is intended to identify physical and mental conditions that could impair a pilot's ability to fly, an examiner’s ability to ensure continued mental stability is limited. In the recent JetBlue incident, the co-pilot used his risk IQ to save passengers and crew, Soucie says. Following a system that Soucie has dubbed REPAIR, the co-pilot:
- Recognized the change in the pilot's behavior (R);
- Understood the severity of the problem in the cockpit environment (E);
- Prioritized the need to mitigate the pilot’s behavior over flying the aircraft (P);
- Analyzed alternatives (A);
- Overrode his training and institutionalized behavior as second in command by taking control of the cockpit (I);
- Realized the risk (R).
Soucie calls this a shining example of high risk IQ. “This event clearly punctuates the need to continuously monitor our individual and aggregate capabilities within each area of REPAIR,” he says. “Doing so enables us to act quickly and instinctively when faced with the unexpected.” This will also show areas for improvement, he adds.