British plane flies with two pilots asleep.

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Member for

18 years 11 months

Posts: 8,847

Doesn't say how long the plane flew without human control. I am guessing that the colour scheme was red and white.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/09/26/plane-autopilot-pilots-asleep_n_3994064.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cukt1%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D211399

Original post

Member for

18 years 6 months

Posts: 2,343

There is no mention of routing, which is probably also deliberate so as not to be able to ascertain the name of the airline involved, but seeing as it was an A330 it must have been doing a long-haul flight.

...the report to the UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) showed that the pair nodded off after both having had only just five hours sleep in the previous two nights.

I thought there was a minimum rest period between each flight that a pilot has to operate?

How/why would a pilot only manage to get 5hrs sleep in the previous two nights...?

Member for

10 years 6 months

Posts: 155

I heard similar stories here in oz, one that comes to mind was a pilot flying freight in a metro during the 90's fell asleep whilst on auto pilot, woke up PAST his desination!

Member for

20 years 5 months

Posts: 10,625


How/why would a pilot only manage to get 5hrs sleep in the previous two nights...?

How long do you have?

From my own immediate experience could be one or more of these: Bedroom too warm, too much noise outside, unable to shut off mind and relax, got in late due to delays at work eating into relaxation time, upset stomach, slight fever and or flu...

The list goes on, there are many thousands, perhaps millions of reasons someone might not be able to get enough sleep and the vast majority are not within the persons control.