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Virgin Atlantic flight returns to Heathrow to replace First Officer who did not complete a required assessment
LONDON, the UK — A Virgin Atlantic flight had to return to Heathrow International after 40 minutes from departure when it was realized that the first officer did not complete a regular flight assessment test. (www.airlinerwatch.com) More...
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Seems that they created more safety issues be making the flight go through an additional landing and take-off than if they had merely let the flight proceed to the original destination. Both pilots were licensed to fly the aircraft.
The F/O could have been considered not fully in license compliance since the flight could have continued if the captain was an instructor pilot.
The FAA could have also made a stink about it if the flight continued and landed in NY.
The FAA could have also made a stink about it if the flight continued and landed in NY.
It's already been revealed that the pilot was legally allowed to continue the flight - it was internal Virgin policy that forced the turnback.
It was stated he was qualified and licensed to fly A330's, but if an airline has not signed off on final flight test, per their policy, he is still considered a rookie and could have been considered to not be fully in compliance.
As djames225 says, if there would have been a random audit by the FAA, it would have been major news.
I doubt very much if the FAA would have known. Since this was an INTERNAL CREWING error of the airline, not a licensing issue. They would have had to have access to crewing rosters and individual training records from the training department. I doubt that a random, pop up audit on arrival would have revealed any of that…..
Why? Pilots land and takeoff multiple times during their rostered month. There is no safety issues! Remember, this was an INTERNAL CREWING error, not a license or qualifications error. He was fully qualified according to the UK CAA.
"Well, look at the Big Brain on Shirley!"
Are we not speaking the Queens English when we explain to you that allowing the flight to continue would not only be setting the airline up for sanctions, but they would also have to deadhead a qualified FO to continue the Roster (cough, cough, schedule)? Maybe the the employee discovering the error was a responsible person ethically reporting it to a supervisor? Who then reported it to their supervisor for a simple air return?
All of the employees aware are now ethically if not legally responsible for correcting whatever the heck the error was a well Shirley.l
Maybe, just maybe, the not qualified crew member did the right thing and refused further assignment until the error, administrative or not, was corrected?
Don't know, Shirley, but I see people doing the right thing, and you obviously haven't been in the actual hotseat while a regulator reviews your training departments books.
Why do I have the feeling I've spent more time in reverse than this guy has around airlines? I'm just going out to my garage, closing the door, starting my antique Ford, and taking a nice long nap. I'd invite Shirley to join me , but it's not a clown car.
Are we not speaking the Queens English when we explain to you that allowing the flight to continue would not only be setting the airline up for sanctions, but they would also have to deadhead a qualified FO to continue the Roster (cough, cough, schedule)? Maybe the the employee discovering the error was a responsible person ethically reporting it to a supervisor? Who then reported it to their supervisor for a simple air return?
All of the employees aware are now ethically if not legally responsible for correcting whatever the heck the error was a well Shirley.l
Maybe, just maybe, the not qualified crew member did the right thing and refused further assignment until the error, administrative or not, was corrected?
Don't know, Shirley, but I see people doing the right thing, and you obviously haven't been in the actual hotseat while a regulator reviews your training departments books.
Why do I have the feeling I've spent more time in reverse than this guy has around airlines? I'm just going out to my garage, closing the door, starting my antique Ford, and taking a nice long nap. I'd invite Shirley to join me , but it's not a clown car.
How little you really know is all I can say, cough, cough.
Assumptions have a habit of coming back to bite you!
You’re correct though, you certainly are NOT speaking the Queens English, merely rambling now.
The mistake was caught in flight, not at check in or on the ground.
I hope you can find your friend Shirley since you seem so very fond of her…….ð¤·ð¼♂️ð¤·ð¼♂️ð¤¦♂️ð¤¦♂️
Assumptions have a habit of coming back to bite you!
You’re correct though, you certainly are NOT speaking the Queens English, merely rambling now.
The mistake was caught in flight, not at check in or on the ground.
I hope you can find your friend Shirley since you seem so very fond of her…….ð¤·ð¼♂️ð¤·ð¼♂️ð¤¦♂️ð¤¦♂️
