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."

Pilots must have a first-class medical certificate. It has to be renewed annually if the pilot is under 40 and every six months over that age, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. As part of that process, the pilot must have a physical exam by an FAA-designated medical examiner, who assesses the pilot's psychological condition as part of the checkup. The examiner can also order additional psychological testing if warranted.

Glenn Winn, a former airlines security chief who now teaches at the University of Southern California, says the physical exams are very thorough. There is also random urinalysis.

In addition, crewmembers are trained to be on the lookout for problems such as intoxication or for any sign of distress among their peers. Pilots confer before flights on their plans, and then meet with flight attendants to go over the plans.

"It's sort of a look in the eye," Winn says. "Anyone who would sit down and go through with their fellow pilot members the flight plan, if something is amiss, they are going to notice it right there."

The FBI affidavit filed with the criminal complaint against Osbon said he arrived late for the flight from New York to Las Vegas and missed the crew briefing.

Another check is there are two pilots — a captain and first officer — in the cockpit. There are two to deal with emergencies. And each pilot should be able to fulfill the duties of the other, says Dave Funk, a retired Northwest Airlines captain now an aviation consultant with Laird & Associates.

According to the FBI affidavit, Osbon's co-pilot, Jason Dowd of Salem, Ohio, stepped in and took control after Osbon started rambling incoherently and walked back into the passenger cabin. The co-pilot locked the cockpit to prevent him from returning and then landed safely in Amarillo.

"The first officer recognized the gravity of the situation and solved the problem," Funk says. "The co-pilot is a hero, not because he landed the plane safely but because he created a situation to do that."

Other members of the flight crew, including flight attendants, are trained in how to subdue anyone disrupting a flight. The training, however, was designed to deal with unruly passengers — not a captain.

"I'd say the system functioned properly," Funk says. "There's a reason we have two pilots, there's a reason we have flight attendants."

A trust in pilots

In the aftermath of 9/11, Congress allowed pilots to carry guns in the cockpit, to defend themselves against potential attacks. It was a move indicative of the faith that has been put in pilots to control flights and passengers.

And recently, pilots and the airlines have struck an agreement with the Transportation Security Administration to set up separate security lines at airports, where pilots in uniform who show their company identification can bypass regular checkpoints.

The program, called Known Crewmember, began in August and is now at Chicago's O'Hare, Miami, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Boston, Washington's Dulles and Seattle. Pilots have passed through hundreds of thousands of times so far, and the program is set to be expanded to more airports.

The prospect of a pilot who is trusted to carry a gun on board raises questions about flight security. But again, some experts say passengers shouldn't be concerned.

Roman, the security executive, says pilots aren't required to carry guns, but those who do get extensive training.

"There are very stringent safety measures and it's purely voluntary," Roman says. "There have been no serious accidents or incidents with the use of the weapon so far."

Larsen, the retired Air Force colonel, said Tuesday's incident shouldn't be an argument against armed pilots.

"They don't need guns to cause a tragedy," Larsen said.