What Did They Say About Turning On The Cellphone During A Flight?
By skysuccess
@skysuccess (8858)
Singapore
June 14, 2010 4:00am CST
In the wake of the recent spate of air disaster, we nearly had another count when some insensitive pilot on a budget Jetstar airline flight actually switched on his cellphone to text message during final approach into Singapore's Changi Airport.
As a result, the flight carrying a load of 167 passengers was forced to pull up and out of landing, 400ft above the ground as it approached the runway of Singapore's Changi Airport. After what was believed to have been an 'incorrect configuration warning' being triggered because the landing gear was not down.
However, the 210-seater plane did land safely after its second approach.
While investigations are being carried out for the events leading to the missed landing, I just have to feel a tinge of disgust with the cockpit for causing this incident and nearly put 167 lives in jeopardy. This is just downright atrocious.
I mean can you believe a pilot doing such a thing? Committing an error of principle?
Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1286044/Jetstar-pilot-sending-text-messages-seconds-plane-abort-Singapore-landing.html
2 people like this
16 responses
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
14 Jun 10
I am amazed that the pilot turned on his mobile phone and tried to send a text message. Yes, 167 lives were put in jeopardy and it was lucky the plane managed to land safely on its second attempt. I think that pilots have to act with total safety in mind and actual practice. I will be flying from London to Vancouver later this week. On the flight my mobile phone will say off. I have got a safe flight mode on my mobile phone interestingly. I am not going to try it out. Good luck to all planes I will say. I want them all to arrive and depart safely.
2 people like this
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
15 Jun 10
maximax8,
I am just appalled and utterly disappointed with the pilot with this incident. I hope that this will not happen again.
We are not only talking about equipments here but human lives. I hope that you have a wonderful flight and trip.
Take care.
@tomitomi (5429)
• Singapore
14 Jun 10
I read with disbelieve that such thing could ever happen from one who told us not to. This is indeed a great lesson we could all learn from. It's that thing that often times being overlooked. We don't need to learn it the hard way do we?
This has been a wonderful topic. Thank you skysuccess! 
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
15 Jun 10
tomitomi,
You are welcome.
I cannot agree with you more here and we just do not need or rather, afford to learn this the hard way.
I hope that this will not be repeated and that there will be harsh action for the culprit pilot.
@neelianoscet (9615)
• Philippines
15 Jun 10
that very dangerous habit and the pilot need to be penalized. When he is suppose to be the role model and follow the flight instructions and yet he is the one who break the law. Not withstanding with the passengers safety citing with his unconcern behavior should not be tolerated as he endangers lot of passengers. As far as i know it is a must to turn off the cellphone to have a safe flight. Thus avoiding system malfunction of the airplane programming except in emergency cases a cellphone may be used when their is a dire need for support.
1 person likes this
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
16 Jun 10
neelianoscet,
I always like to think that I am in good hands when I travel by air and I just have to say how shocked I was to learn of this incident.
It is also fortunate that landing in an airport like Singapore is not as challenging as some and I hate to imagine what might have happened if was peak hours where air traffic is heavy. More than 167 lives onboard? Maybe.
@rivengodwind (369)
• Philippines
14 Jun 10
I wonder how the flight record of Jetstar is. This seems to be an isolated incident at least, but if it's found to be true, the pilot will really have it coming.
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
16 Jun 10
rivengodwind,
There's no need for the flight recorder when there's enough evidence from the airport's control tower, air traffic control system and most of all witnesses on board who will not hesitate to report him.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
16 Jun 10
Oh, I know that we've never been supposed to have any electronics on during takeoff and landing, and I think that the pilot turned on his cell phone is inexcusable. There have been a lot of different air disasters in the last several years and this could have been another one of them. I hope that they will investigate this pilot and that he will be punished to the largest extent that his carrier will allow.
1 person likes this
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
17 Jun 10
dorannmwin,
My exact sentiments as well.
As for the disciplinary action, Jetstar can only consider if they would still have him in their payroll.
It will depend on the pilot's national aviation authority to take the necessary disciplinary action on this errant pilot but not before a thorough investigation had been carried out.
I hope that he will be remanded to the full extent to deter others from committing this irresponsible act again.
Have a nice day.
@kodukodu84 (1569)
• Malaysia
15 Jun 10
That is just unbelievable! How embarrassing for the company too. If he wanted to kill himself then he could've done it just to himself!! I hope he has been fired from his company!
1 person likes this
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
16 Jun 10
kodukodu84,
Not sure if he is fired, but I sure would not like to be in his flight if you know what I mean.
What he has done is really disgusting and totally disrespectful especially to other peoples' life - the 167 passengers onboard.
It is just unthinkable!
@goddessjes (788)
• Philippines
14 Jun 10
wow, what a careless offense. for this incident, i think separation from the company is the best decision. one glitch, 167 lives would be accounted for by the whole company.
no matter how good a pilot is, one small careless act could cause lives. what was he thinking?
i wonder how did the airlines confine this news so that it wouldn't affect their business.
1 person likes this
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
16 Jun 10
goddessjes,
It is also gross negligence on the pilot's part and he really has no business texting on his phone during his flight and doing it while the plane is crucially doing a landing.
I just cannot see what was with him or reason(s) that he cannot wait to reach for his cellphone. He should be really reprimanded and disciplined the hard way as some member here had advocated.
@marguicha (216405)
• Chile
14 Jun 10
I hope the pilot was not only fired but will not be hired by any commercial flight again. Piloting is not only knowing what the several switches are. It´s a shame!
1 person likes this
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
15 Jun 10
marguicha,
I cannot say or tell what will befall on this pilot eventually but it will not be far from what you are hoping here.
This is really serious and lives are at stake there.
This is really serious and lives are at stake there.
@LetranKnight25 (33121)
• Philippines
14 Jun 10
Hello skysuccess,
THEY SHOULD FIRE HIM, that's my recommendation, is this pilot...crazy?
It's forbidden for passengers to use Mobile Phones while inside a traveling plane and now a pilot does it. which happens to be near the controls that could seriously screw up the electronics that can caused serious danger to the flight and it's passengers.
this pilot is in serious trouble jeopardizing the lives of those people
.
this reminds me about a driver who kept texting while driving with more than 14 passengers inside his rigged van.@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
15 Jun 10
LetranKnight25,
I was disturbed to learn that this is coming from a pilot who is fully aware of the consequences of his actions and to do it as the plane was on its final approach is just beyond any words for me.
I hope that the pilot will be disciplined for his irresponsible act.
@juicekodai (1121)
• Philippines
14 Jun 10
oh my, i thought cell phone should be turned off while inside the plane.. and now, a pilot is breaking that rule?.. tsktsktsk,... pilots shouldnt be allowed to bring a cellphone... 
well, honestly i turn on my cell phone and put it in flight mode in an airplane.. that is after the takeoff or before landing.. you know when you are already allowed to unfasten the seatbelt... lol.. sometimes, i take pictures of the sky... tsktsktsk
well, honestly i turn on my cell phone and put it in flight mode in an airplane.. that is after the takeoff or before landing.. you know when you are already allowed to unfasten the seatbelt... lol.. sometimes, i take pictures of the sky... tsktsktsk1 person likes this
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
15 Jun 10
juicekodai,
You are not wrong. Cellphones and electronic gadgets that taps on communication frequencies need to be turned off during the flight as it will interfere with the aircraft's navigation and operational equipments.
I do not know what's on the mind of this pilot to ever commit such a mistake. I hope that there will be some answers and that the pilot involved will be disciplined.
Take care.
@pooja30 (203)
• India
14 Jun 10
Oh my God, that's just horrible! For all the warnings and everything they give passengers not to use their mobiles on the flight for safety purposes, to actually have a pilot switch his phone on is just shocking. He jeopardised all those lives for one text message? That is really irresponsible. I hope some penalising action is taken against him, because really there is no justification for doing something like that.
1 person likes this
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
15 Jun 10
pooja30,
My exact sentiments here and you can imagine how I feel when I learn of this atrocity.
I am just glad that nothing tragic had happened out of this.
@pinoyblogger (397)
• Philippines
14 Jun 10
That is malpractice on the part of the pilot. He must be sued and his license must be suspended. By the way, the reason why no one must turn on their cellphone during a flight because the signal coming in and out of the cellphone might interrupt with the plane's system.
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
15 Jun 10
pinoyblogger,
I am sure that the pilot concern will be disciplined for his misconduct and miscarriage of his duty.
I just hope that this sort of incident will not be repeated again where the passengers (167 lives) and aircraft remain unscathed. I just hate to imagine what it might have been otherwise.
@ceecee409 (85)
• United States
14 Jun 10
this is straight neglagence!
The one person that could save you was the reason your going down!
1 person likes this
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
16 Jun 10
ceecee409,
Well, this is just one error which did not end with an incident - tragic one that is. But, this pilot's error is one which is totally unacceptable to me considering from the fact from recent studies that 70% of aircraft incidents are due to pilot error.
Hope he will be justly dealt with.
@bizsource (30)
• United States
14 Jun 10
Some people are simply careless no matter what position they are in. I look into being compensated any way possible. Its not your fault that the pilot choose to gamble with the lives of every on that flight!
1 person likes this
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
15 Jun 10
bizsource,
Above all, this is gross misconduct on the part of the pilot and i just do not think how the passengers could be compensated in any way as they had landed safely without any incident.
However, I do see that disciplinary action will be taken against this errant pilot, though.
Have a nice day.
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
15 Jun 10
mimiang,
That is exactly the question I am asking as well here.
This is grossly misconduct and hope that this will be the last.
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
15 Jun 10
zralte,
When I first came across this article, I could not believe it at first until I found that there were other source as well to authenticate this report.
So, you can imagine how I feel and what my impression of the airline involved is like, right now. I just cannot accept this, coming especially from the pilot who is responsible for the plane's safety and passengers.
