Cyprus-Forum.com

[Paphitis]

Well it's started. The Unions are getting ready!

Pilot Unions Protest Germanwings Investigation Leaks

French pilot union Syndicat National des Pilotes today complained about what it calls a “violation of professional secrecy” over the allegedly unauthorized leaking of the contents of cockpit voice recorder (CVR) recovered from the wreckage of the Germanwings Airbus A320 that crashed in the French Alps on March 24. Late on March 26, the European Cockpit Association (ECA), questioned the decision of French prosecutors to publicly accused Germanwings copilot Andreas Lubitz of deliberately crashing the aircraft within hours of an unidentified French military official telling The New York Times that the A320’s captain had been locked out of the cockpit.

ECA also pointed out that French accident investigation agency BEA has yet to find and secure the A320’s flight data recorder, which could yet provide vital evidence to either confirm or undermine the French prosecutor’s allegation. “We understand that many facts point to one particular theory for the cause of this event,” said the group, which represents pilot unions from across Europe. “Yet, many questions still remain unanswered at this stage.”

“The leaking of the CVR data is a serious breach of fundamental and globally accepted international accident investigation rules,” continued the ECA statement. “The motivation for and consequences of this will need to be addressed. Given the level of pressure this leak has undoubtedly created, the investigation team faces a serious distraction. The required lead of safety investigators appears to have been displaced by prosecutorial considerations. This is highly prejudicial and an impediment to making aviation safety safer with lessons from the tragedy.”

Meanwhile, German prosecutors in Düsseldorf today confirmed that they found records of sick leave paperwork and prescriptions for anti-depression medication in Lubitz’s home. According to German officials, the most recent sick leave documentation was for March 24 itself, raising questions as to why Lubitz wa on duty on the day of the crash.

Separately, the Lufthansa group, which also includes Swiss and Austrian airlines, today said that it will implement a requirement that two crew members must be in a cockpit at all times. The move reverses the statement by Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr at a March 26 press conference, when he said the company saw no reason to change its policy of allowing a pilot to remain alone in the cockpit. On March 26, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Virgin Atlantic, Monarch, EasyJet and Emirates all announced plans to adopt the requirement for a second crew member (such as a flight attendant) to enter the cockpit in the event that a pilot needs to leave it during a flight. Austrian civil aviation authorities said they would make this a requirement for all its operators, and UK officials also urged airlines to review their policies.

https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news ... tion-leaks

[Paphitis]

I have a feeling this is going to get pretty rough and I would say the mass media is in danger of some major legal challenges from International Pilot Unions from all over the world.

These are only warning shots!

http://www.kqed.org/news/story/2015/03/ ... gory=world

[Paphitis]

OK guys, this is well and truly heating up.

International Federation of Airline Pilots has issues the French Authorities and various Media Outlets with an official warning.

I am a member of this organisation and was actually on the Board of the Australian Branch for a period of time and I can tell you, they have a yearly running budget of about $10 million all on their own, and I don't think they are going to take all this nonsense.

The consensus seems to be as follows:
1) The believe the French Authorities have violated fundamental Crash Investigation Rules and prematurely made accusations against a pilot, and
2) There are concerns over the French Instigated media hype which they believe to be counterproductive.

My guess is that law suits will be flying left right and centre in order to make certain points that the International Federation of Airline Pilots does NOT agree or condone the types of debates which are currently circulating.

http://deredactie.be/polopoly_fs/1.2284 ... deling.pdf

All I can say is watch this space.

[supporttheunderdog]

OK guys, this is well and truly heating up.

International Federation of Airline Pilots has issues the French Authorities and various Media Outlets with an official warning.

I am a member of this organisation and was actually on the Board of the Australian Branch for a period of time and I can tell you, they have a yearly running budget of about $10 million all on their own, and I don't think they are going to take all this nonsense.

The consensus seems to be as follows:
1) The believe the French Authorities have violated fundamental Crash Investigation Rules and prematurely made accusations against a pilot, and
2) There are concerns over the French Instigated media hype which they believe to be counterproductive.

My guess is that law suits will be flying left right and centre in order to make certain points that the International Federation of Airline Pilots does NOT agree or condone the types of debates which are currently circulating.

http://deredactie.be/polopoly_fs/1.2284 ... deling.pdf


All I can say is watch this space.

There is a discussion in LinkedIn on trial by media and I would agree that this appears to be trial by Media. There is at least one article circulating which seem to suggest a link with terrorism, and drew comparison with Anders Behring Breivik, though I am not aware of any real evidence that this was done in furtherance of any religio-political aims and I think the author was using this tragedy in furtherance of their own political agenda.

Here I think the pilots do have some justification if information is being released prematurely and in an un-authorised manner, but unfortunately it appears to be the way of things that the press have their information sources as e.g. the Cliff Richard Police inquiry showed, and which as the NOTW and Sun newspaper cases showed, might involve corruption of officials or or other illegal acts to gain it. However I think the Pilot's complaint should be more directed at the source of the information, rather the media.

Here the press probably have a bigger budget for (and insurance against) the sort of legal action you are discussing and might even relish it....if it makes people read the media, and I can just imagine the media crying "Pilots try to cover up" or similar, repeating the details of the medical conditions such as (apparently) a detached retina causing blurred vision problems, which apart from any possible mental condition, might have meant the end of a flying career, which they will seek to imply the Pilot''s association is trying to hide.