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Celayne Jones's avatar

It would be interesting to see a comparison of these events for, say, 2017-19 and 2021-23. Pilots did have medical issues or become incapacitated in earlier times but certainly not as often as they appear to be happening now. Same for celebrity “sudden and unexpected” serious illness and death.

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Bob Coviello's avatar

I am a retired captain for a major US Carrier that I will not mention as I value my pension, but I can tell you there have been FAR more incidents than the public knows about very likely related to the CV19 shots.

I am sure you are familiar with ONE week shortly after the rollout for the vaccines when THREE British Airways captains, and reasonably young and exceptionally healthy died.

The Company even hosted a combined memorial in their offices for them simultaneously, yet of course denied that the premature deaths had ANYTHING to do with the jabs.

I am also sure you know that the US FAA was forced to alter the acceptable limits of EKG parameters for pilot physicals* since it was impossible for a very many to "pass" using the criteria used for many decades.

None of these are good signs!

*First Officers on Part 121 Airlines (Larger Scheduled Carriers) are required to take at least 2nd Class FAA physicals annually, whereas Captains are required to take semi-annual physicals, along with regular EKGs. Part 135 Operations (Lesser Commercial Operators) often require their pilots to also take 1st Class Physicals.

To see the FAA loosen he standards that have kept the industry safe for MANY decades is NOT a good open, especially when they refuse to discuss the reasons, and especially at a time when pilot qualifications for newly hired pilots are being relaxed and often dictated by "equity and diversity" rather than by merit and experience is a negative, and don't forget airlines are pushing due to costs and a pilot shortage to be talking about reducing the cockpit crew to ONE pilot citing improved automation assisting to where only one pilot is needed. I have 40 years flying experience and 27,000 flight hours between the military, airlines, and Part 91 general aviation (instructing, Alaskan bush flying), and NONE of these things are conducive to safety. Over the years, I have encountered MANY incidents in large jet transport aircraft where without a second or third pilot the aircraft would have been lost, and only coordination and extra eyes, hands, and experience saved the day.

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