Following the crash of the Germanwings Airbus A320 on March 24, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) drafted a report in which she gives six recommendations, based on the flaws that may have led to the tragedy. The document was released on July 17.
As a reminder, a Germanwings aircraft crashed in the French Alps. One hundred and fifty people were killed. The plane was flying between Barcelona (Spain) and Düsseldorf (Germany). The investigation revealed that the co-pilot of theplane German, Andreas Lubitz, alone aboard the cockpit, had voluntarily crushed it in the French Alps in order to commit suicide.
No more single pilot in the cockpit
“This report is the result of an in-depth analysis with practical recommendations, so that such a tragedy does not happen again, explains Patrick Ky, director general of the Agency in a communicated. EASA is ready to take the necessary measures. »
EASA therefore recommends that a pilot no longer be left alone in a cockpit. On March 27, EASA had already advised, on a temporary basis, the permanent presence of two crew members in the cockpit, including “at least one qualified pilot”. several countries and airlines had adhered to this recommendation.
Psychological assessment and pilot support
The report also advises systematically carrying out a psychological assessment before hiring a pilot and subsequently setting up a network of medical supervisors and a medical database for pilots. “It is a question of facilitating the sharing of information” and of identifying possible undeclared health problems”, specifies the agency. A support system should also be offered to them. Finally, an unannounced and random control of drug or alcohol consumption will be carried out once a year.
It remains for the European Commission to decide whether all EASA recommendations should remain voluntary on the part of companies or be made mandatory.
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