Pilots Association applauds its members' heroic actions yesterday, calls on Qantas to commit to keeping Aussie pilots and their expertise

President of the Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA), Capt Barry Jackson today applauded the efforts and professionalism of the pilots involved in QF32’s mid-flight incident yesterday, which has now resulted in Qantas’ entire A380 Airbus fleet being grounded.

“For the second time in two months, the outstanding training and standards of Qantas pilots have delivered a safe outcome to what could have been a very serious incident”, Capt Jackson said.

Capt Jackson also said that AIPA supports the statements made by Qantas CEO, Mr Alan Joyce yesterday when he said:

“Our pilots are probably some of the most experienced pilots in world… So they’re very well-practiced. We’ve probably got the best-trained pilots in the world”.

Mr Joyce’s endorsement of the professionalism and high standards of Qantas pilots confirms follows praise from Jetstar, when after an incident involving a cockpit fire of a Jetstar flight in June last year, Mr Simon Westaway, Head of Corporate Relations at Jetstar Airways said the pilot who extinguished the fire was "very experienced…He has over 12,000 hours in flight experience - he's a 14-year pilot and he's come out of Qantas, so they're a very experienced crew on the flight.''

“It takes a Qantas pilot 15 years, sometimes more, to become a Captain on an A380. It is this level of experience that has placed Qantas at the top level when it comes to the travelling public’s consideration of what constitutes a “safe airline,” Capt Jackson said.

“The current Senate Inquiry into Pilot training and airline safety would be wise to consider if a pilot with as little as 200 hours experience - that some airlines suggest is all that is needed -would be an appropriately experienced pilot to handle the kind of in-flight incident that occurred over the skies of Singapore yesterday.”

“The reputation of Qantas pilots arises from a long tradition of excellence recognised by the industry world-wide and the travelling public at large.”

“It is a basic understanding of the travelling public that Qantas flights are operated by Qantas pilots and that is a commitment we trust Qantas will commit to, now and into the future” Capt Jackson said.

Spokesperson:
Australian and International Pilots Association,
President Capt Barry Jackson on 0414 387 684

Published in AIPA Media Releases - 2010