NTSB Investigating!
Are they looking in the right place?
People want to know why the Delta A350 didn't stop? Did they not see the other plane? The couldn't see the wing from the flight deck. Maybe the first officer was taxiing. The first officer could not see the wing. It was the fault of the other plane for being in the way. All sorts of reasons. But I hope when the NTSB looks into this, they look into training.
Delta's 7th ground incursion since January!
Durning my return to the A330 there was a significant change in training from when I earned a type rating on the plane years earlier. Delta was now saving money by not using motion on the simulator training events for type ratings. FAA approved. During my Captain's check ride, the check airman said, "You taxi shitty!"
To his defense I said, "He's only had one opportunity during training to taxi with motion before now and he's coming off the 737." The check airman was deeply concerned and said he would look into it. I think they increased the motion simulator event, but I am not positive by how many. But this training problem is more than simulator.
Back in the day we had to know our aircraft limitations and dimensions, even be able to draw the electrical system during our FAA oral. Today, Delta gives their pilots an LOD, Learning objective document, which is simply the answers to the electronic test. If you memorize well, you pass. But I suppose the memories were not that good, so Delta decided to make this electronic test an open book test. Delta pilots do not need to know the physical dimensions of their plane, they can look it up. I wonder how many even know the width of the taxiway?
In this case, the A350 was schedule to depart behind the RJ, and they were having problems. Then were cleared to taxi forward down E to V. But the RJ had not pulled up all the way to the hold short line.
First, pilots should not accept a clearance that will make them hit another plane. This is not the fault of the RJ. Just as you are not allowed to hit the car in an intersection, because you have a green light.
There were many times I sat in that A350 seat and told the captain to stop, because I wasn't sure on the clearance distance. One time we sent another pilot back to look out the window for a better angle. Other times we queried ATC.
Was this crew distracted by the problem? Did they blindly follow a clearance? Did the first officer not understand his responsibility? Did this captain receive minimum training with motion during taxi? Did they both look up the answers for the wingspan of the A350 without learning them?
I hope the NTSB investigation looks deep into, because 7 ground incursions in 6 months is far too many... don't you think?
Dr. Karlene Petitt
PhD. MBA. MHS.
A350, B777, A330, B747-400, B747-200, B767, B757, B737, B727
PhD. MBA. MHS.
A350, B777, A330, B747-400, B747-200, B767, B757, B737, B727
