According to new recommendation delivered to EU officials, all European pilots that are working for airlines should be psychologically screened, and the details of their medical visits shared in a proposed European database.
In addition, a new rule introducing random drug and alcohol testing of pilots is being implemented.
The New Report Follows the Germanwings flight Tragedy
The Europe’s aviation safety regulator called for the introduction of the random drug and alcohol testing of European pilots after the crash of Germanwings flight 4U 9525 in March.
In accordance with the investigators’ declaration, German co-pilot Andreas Lubitz, who was 28 years old, crashed the Airbus A320 into the French Alps. In grave this tragedy, 150 people on board were killed.
Regarding the health of the pilot, French prosecutors declared that he might have been suffering from psychosis. He seemed to have had a history of severe depression. However, the pilot didn’t reveal any of his problems to his employer.
All european Pilots Should Be Tested for Public Safety
According to the recommendation, the 2-persons-in-the-cockpit rule is maintained, being necessary for the safety of both passengers and crew. In addition, all European pilots should be psychologically evaluated during their training or before entering the service. Airlines are responsible for verifying the pilots’ evaluation.
Furthermore, not only the aptitudes of the European pilots should be taken into consideration. The performance of all medical and training examiners should be reviewed, as well.
The drugs and alcohol tests are meant to be part of a random programme of testing by each airline
The implementation of pilot support and reporting systems is also strongly recommended. But that’s not all. It seems that national regulations should maintain a balance between patient confidentiality and the protection of the public.
The Cockpit Doors Locking Mechanism
Since the Germanwings co-pilot used the manual lock in order to prevent the captain from re-entering the cockpit, the new recommendation also referred to the cockpit door locking mechanism. However, it is believed that until future reviews, no immediate action should be taken regarding this matter.
Therefore, besides the fact that there should always be two people in the cockpit, there will be no changes to the cockpit doors rules, that were specially strengthened after the Sept 11, 2001, attacks in the United States.
