Airplane safety, cockpit rule of two

“Rule of two” best prevention to ensure safety in airplanes

The airplane travel industry has been inundated with speculation on how the disaster of Germanwings Flight 9525 co-piloted by the mentally unstable Andreas Lubitz could have been prevented.  Suggestions range from pilot psychiatric examinations in person to automatic piloting conducted from within range airports.  Most of the suggestions have pitfalls, but there is one method that stands out as the best defense and that is the rule of two, which states two people must in the cockpit at all times.  The likelihood of two people being unstable at once is slim, and could deter an unstable pilot from performing acts of violence endangering passengers and crew.   

In the United States government it’s called “checks and balances.”  The three branches of the federal government balance each other through a process. The most recent “check” being reported is the use of the presidential veto if the executive office disagrees with congressional legislation, and likewise the legislature can override a veto with sufficient votes.

The rule of two is a basic rule used throughout social organizations from doctor’s offices to federal agencies. It’s why businesses hire outside accountants; armored cars have two or more crews; nuclear missiles require multiple sign-offs; and FBI agents monitor one another’s custody of seized drugs, money and valuables. 

It’s not always full proof but functions as a preventative measure because there are rogues within systems who take advantage of their authority or position to perform nefarious acts and deeds.       

The US government is an extension of and in recognition of the rule of two. “Our republic has survived for more than two centuries not because of the nobility of Richard Nixon, Oliver North, or Dick Cheney, but because each branch of government keeps an eye on the others,” reported by Slate Magazine.

The rule of two simply states that two people must in the cockpit at all times. Airplanes normally have two pilots and if one leaves the cabin, then a flight attendant, air marshal, or official crew member must take the place of the pilot who has temporarily left.  To this writer, an air marshal seems to be the best selection as they are usually armed and trained to confront a combative person.

According to Slate, pilots have gone rogue over being demoted by the airlines or even life insurance issues.  On military flights, the main problems are pilot disorientation and loss of consciousness or situational awareness. “Last year, an Air New Zealand pilot locked his co-pilot out of the cockpit for two minutes and ignored pleas to open the door, reportedly over an argument about a flight delay,” they said.  (According to the New Zealand Herald, “The co-pilot eventually used an alternative method to gain entry to the cockpit, which the airline would not detail for security reasons.”)

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Critics of the “rule of two”

The main criticism against using flight attendants and other non-aviator personnel as the replacement in the cockpit is they do not know how to fly a plane.  The rule of two cannot solve every scenario, but at least it would give the passengers and crew one advocate in the cockpit. 

Another objection to flight attendants as the second person is that once inside the cockpit, they might become the new threat. But in that scenario, the remaining pilot would still be there to fight for the passengers. And at the very least one of them could unlock the cabin door and let the other pilot in.  The rule of two is not fail-safe, but it strives to have at least one trustworthy person behind the locked cabin door.  

Since the crash of Germanwings Flight 9525, many countries have adopted the rule of two in the cockpit.  The United States has had the rule of two for years, and now is the time to make it an international law.  US citizens, as well as people from countries all over the world, use international airlines from countries all over world to fly; therefore, all airlines should adopt the rule of two to ensure the safety of passengers, crew and inhabited land masses over which commercial planes fly, as people on the ground are at risk if a plane crashes.  

Resources
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2015/03/how_to_prevent_the_next_germanwings_disaster_all_airlines_should_adopt_the.html