Aircraft Mishap on Corsica Due to Unresponsive Pilot
In an unexpected turn of events, an Airbus A320neo flight from American Airlines made an extra round around Ajaccio Airport on a recent day. The captain of the flight, in his career, had never encountered such an incident. The air traffic controller at Ajaccio Airport, identified as Thomas, fell asleep during his duty, causing radio silence. This is not a common practice among air traffic controllers, but it led to a brief outage, potentially creating risky situations. After being awakened by the airport fire brigade, who in turn contacted the police, Thomas turned on the runway lights and gave the landing clearance. However, the runway lights remained off, making a safe landing impossible. The captain, showing quick thinking, decided to circle Ajaccio while trying to establish contact with ground personnel. There was a one-hour delay at takeoff in Paris, and the flight, which was originally scheduled to take 90 minutes, took significantly longer due to the extra round. Despite the challenges, the aircraft safely landed in Ajaccio after an additional hour in the air. The incident ended safely, but it highlights the importance of rested and prepared air traffic controllers in aviation. Dominik Lelle, a member of the online editorial team of AERO INTERNATIONAL since 2023, strives to make the world of aviation tangible and exciting for readers. This incident, he says, underscores the need for stringent measures to prevent such incidents in the future. In many European countries, shift schedules and double staffing are usually used to prevent air traffic controller fatigue and related incidents. The incident at Ajaccio Airport raises questions about the effectiveness of these measures. It is not known whether the incident will have disciplinary consequences for the employee or the airport. In aviation, controlled rest (napping during cruise flight in autopilot mode) is a common practice to maintain alertness on long flights. This incident, however, suggests that more needs to be done to ensure the safety and readiness of air traffic controllers. The police subjected Thomas to alcohol and drug tests after landing, which were negative, and he was found to be simply overtired. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the vital role air traffic controllers play in ensuring the safety of air travel and the need for their continuous vigilance.
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