Pilot let flight attendants handle aircraft controls

06-April
Japan

Pilot let flight attendants handle aircraft controls
The Yomiuri Shimbun

An Air Central pilot allowed two flight attendants to sit in the copilot's seat and handle the controls during a flight in December, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.

The 51-year-old captain of the airline, which is part of the All Nippon Airways group, has been suspended from flying for violating company rules. An Air Central spokesman said, however, that as the captain had retained control of the twin-turboprop-engined Fokker 50 aircraft, and no passengers were on board, his actions were not unsafe.

However, the Construction and Transport Ministry, which was notified Friday of the act, is set to mete out administrative penalties, including suspending the captain, for his inappropriate actions under the Aviation Law.

According to the Air Central spokesman, on the morning of Dec. 14, the captain flew the aircraft from Chubu Airport in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, to Sendai, where the plane was scheduled to take on passengers.

The flight attendants just couldn't keep their mouths shut!!!!!!