Pilots Please Switch Off Your Phones

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Pilots are on Tik Tok, dancing to Jerusalema, the South African gospel song. I don’t mind. They can even dance to Double Double, a song by Yemi Alade, the Nigerian musician for all I care. I’m cool with anything pilots do, as long as they don’t text and drive, or is it text and fly?

Texting and driving kills. It makes kids orphans and parents to mourn their kids. That is why I don’t like the idea of pilots texting while driving. Is autopilot legal? If the plane is flying itself, pilots will be tempted to text while flying. Don’t tell me autopilot is technology.  I must call somebody at IATA to explain the whole process, by placing me in the pilot’s seat.

Autopilot destroys the dream to fly the skies. Kids will be lukewarm to the idea of growing up to be pilots if it is not driving, turning to the right to avoid an angry cloud or slamming brakes to avoid an injured bird.  Yes. Birds also get hurt up there in the sky.

Who is charge of the plane when it is on autopilot?  Technology?  I don’t think so. Technology also has a bad day.  Battery is low or there is no Wi-Fi.  People love the pilot's uniform because it exudes authority, authority to fly steel birds.  Passengers sleep on the plane because they know somebody is in charge. 

If autopilot is flying the plane, IATA should tell its members to change the message.

Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to Calgary. This is your pilot speaking. Sorry, autopilot speaking.

Nonqaba waka Msimang

Executive Blogger

 

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