Topic: Cockpit

Off-duty pilot Joseph David Emerson faces 83 counts of attempted murder after attempting to engage the fire suppression system and shut down engines on a Horizon Air flight. Emerson reportedly told investigators he was suffering from a mental breakdown and had consumed psychedelic mushrooms 48 hours prior to the incident. The flight was diverted to Portland, Oregon, where Emerson was taken into federal custody.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is reportedly adopting gender-neutral language, replacing terms like "airman" with "aviator" and "cockpit" with "flight deck." The hosts investigate the etymology of "cockpit," finding it originally referred to a pit for fighting roosters, and mock the perceived overreach of political correctness in aviation.

Analysis of the MS804 debris photos reveals pristine life vests alongside tattered clothing, leading to skepticism about the official recovery narrative. The hosts discuss the complexities of Airbus fly-by-wire systems and express concern that, like other recent aviation incidents, the full flight data and cockpit recordings may never be released to the public.

An ABC News report details a British Airways Boeing 777 flight where pilots were forced to use oxygen masks due to disorientation and headaches. The cause was eventually identified as trash and old wires blocking a ventilation duct, an incident that has reportedly occurred three times on the same aircraft.

Security experts suggest that modified shotguns and secondary wire barriers are more effective for cockpit defense than the current system of armed pilots. While some pilots carry 40-caliber pistols, they are often prohibited on international flights due to local handgun laws. A simple system of horizontal cables could provide flight crews with the necessary time to secure the flight deck during an attempted breach.

An analysis of Chris Roberts' interview on the "Security Weekly" podcast reveals he did not actually plug into the seat-box during the flight in question, despite his provocative tweets. The tech press, including Wired and Ars Technica, is criticized for uncritically propagating the story of the "sideways flying plane." The segment highlights the technical impossibility of a standard laptop issuing commands to a modern glass cockpit through an Ethernet-based entertainment network.

Adam Curry teases a future segment on the Germanwings crash, suggesting the official evidence regarding the cockpit voice recorder is flawed. He also reports on a "glitch" that grounded the American Airlines fleet after an iPad app update failed, highlighting the dangers of over-reliance on cloud-based technology in aviation.

Investigation into the Germanwings Flight 9525 crash faced scrutiny over technical details reported from the cockpit voice recorder. Aviation experts, including veteran pilots, questioned the feasibility of hearing a pilot's breathing in the noisy environment of an older Airbus A320. Additionally, discrepancies were noted regarding the lack of a recorded 30-second cockpit door alarm and the specific "beep" sound allegedly heard when the autopilot altitude was adjusted.

Dutch pilot Jan Cocheret reportedly predicted a scenario similar to the Germanwings crash in a specialist aviation magazine weeks before the event. Cocheret expressed concern about being locked out of the cockpit by a co-pilot while using the restroom. The discussion also touched on the complexity of Airbus flight software and the potential for computer-driven errors or "planned obsolescence" in high-tech machinery.

The investigation into the Germanwings Flight 9525 crash focuses on co-pilot Andreas Lubitz and his medical history. Reports suggest Lubitz suffered from depression and vision problems potentially linked to SSRIs or other antidepressants. Discrepancies are noted regarding the cockpit voice recorder audio, specifically claims that only the pilot's breathing and passenger screams were audible despite loud automated cockpit warnings.

The New York Times reported that evidence from the Germanwings Flight 9525 cockpit voice recorder showed one pilot was locked out of the cockpit before the crash. The reporting suggests the pilot outside was attempting to smash the door down while the pilot inside remained silent. The hosts question the validity of these early leaks from unnamed investigators and military officials.

Rachel Maddow discussed the FAA's post-9/11 mandatory standards for reinforced cockpit doors, suggesting they could become a "death warrant" if a pilot is incapacitated or malicious. A pilot guest on her show noted that airline protocol typically requires a flight attendant to enter the cockpit if one pilot leaves to ensure two people are present at all times. The hosts mock Maddow's delivery and theories regarding potential hijackers.

The Airbus A320 has a history of cockpit fume incidents caused by hydraulic fluid leaking into the auxiliary power unit (APU). The hosts discuss how toxic fumes could incapacitate a flight crew, potentially explaining why a pilot might leave the cockpit or fail to respond. They argue that the removal of flight engineers from modern cockpits has increased the risk of unmanaged technical failures.

A bizarre security incident on a Chautauqua Airlines flight is discussed, where the captain got stuck in the bathroom and a passenger tried to relay the cockpit password to the first officer. The hosts question why fighter jets weren't scrambled and criticize the breakdown of security protocols when the first officer refused to open the door despite the correct password being provided.

An All Nippon Airways flight nearly flew upside down after a co-pilot allegedly mistook the rudder trim knob for the cockpit door lock. Adam Curry, an aviator, deconstructs the report, arguing that the tactile differences between cockpit controls make such a mistake highly improbable.

An air traffic controller in Cleveland claimed to have heard a struggle and the voices of hijackers in the cockpit of Flight 93. The hosts question the validity of this account, noting that no such audio has ever been released to the public, and suggest the controller may be a government "asset."

New details regarding the crash of the Polish president's plane reveal that unauthorized individuals were present in the cockpit prior to the accident. The BBC's reporting on potential pressure placed on the flight crew is questioned. The lack of publicly released data from the cockpit voice recorder leads to skepticism regarding the official narrative.

An investigation into Northwest Airlines Flight 188 reveals that pilots who overflew Minneapolis in 2009 are being reinstated. Analysis of NTSB affidavits and flight attendant statements suggests the pilots were conscious and communicating during the flyby, contradicting reports they were asleep. Evidence indicates the cockpit voice recorder was irregularly powered up after landing, causing flight data to be overwritten.

The NTSB is investigating Northwest Airlines Flight 188, which overshot its Minneapolis destination by 150 miles after pilots lost contact with air traffic control for 78 minutes. The hosts find the official explanation of "distraction" dubious, noting that the cockpit voice recorder was allegedly overwritten during "routine maintenance" immediately following the incident.

Adam Curry, an experienced pilot, analyzes the NTSB recordings of the "Miracle on the Hudson." He points out three suspicious elements: the pilot using the wrong call sign, the Airbus computer's potential role in shutting down engines prematurely, and the lack of audible warning bells in the cockpit. Curry suggests the official narrative of a double bird strike may be incomplete.