JetBlue incident prompts questions about pilots' powers

— -- After the terrorist attacks Sept. 11, 2001, airline pilots gained more authority and independence: They sit behind locked cockpit doors, can carry guns and are starting to bypass regular airport security lines.

The authority, which pilots had sought, was designed to protect control of a plane and its passengers by leaving it in the hands of the captain and co-pilot. The security steps have worked well so far.

However, a bizarre incident Tuesday, when JetBlue Airways captain Clayton Osbon had to be subdued by passengers after raving about 9/11 and terrorists, prompts questions about vesting so much power in pilots — although there are checks and balances.

The checks include medical screenings and having fellow crewmembers keep an eye on each other's physical and mental fitness, and adherence to rules and protocol. Many flight security experts say they are sufficient to guard against the rarest of incidents like the one Tuesday, and that the incident shouldn't be used to undermine an airline pilot's authority.

"Someone has to be absolutely in charge," says Anthony Roman, a trained pilot and head of Roman & Associates, a global security and risk management firm in Texas. "Throughout history, in all vessels, whether they're seafaring vessels or since the development of air vessels, there is one captain. Similarly there is one lead surgeon. There's a paramilitary command structure in cockpit."

Until Tuesday, Osbon, 49, was the epitome of an excellent airline captain by nearly all accounts. He flew 12 years for JetBlue. His airline's CEO, Dave Barger, praised him as "a consummate professional."

His friends and colleagues were as surprised as Barger by his actions, which resulted in him being charged Wednesday with interfering with his flight crew, a federal offense that carries up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. It's unclear what triggered Osbon's actions.

"I can't say whether it's shock or disbelief," said Justin Ates, a corporate jet pilot and friend of Osbon who lives in the same Savannah, Ga., area community of Richmond Hill. "It's hard to describe what you feel when you see something that's completely 100% out of character."

Incident is troubling

Because the incident was so unusual, many pilots are waiting to hear more before passing judgment. "We know what happened," says Capt. Lee Collins, executive vice president of the Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations. We don't know why."

But the incident is troubling to many of them and people involved in air security.

Randall Larsen, a former Air Force officer who is director of the Institute for Homeland Security, urged a thorough investigation in case the incident stemmed from an untreated or poorly treated medical problem.

He also questioned whether pilots could mask a medical condition, such as high blood pressure, because of the temptation to hold the high-paying jobs.

"The question to me was was the pilot on medication or was he off medication or was it something to do with something else," Larsen said. "If it were just a mental breakdown, that's one thing. But that is really a frightening thing."