laptopinfo

InFOInformationforOperatorsU.
S.
DepartmentInFO10003ofTransportationDATE:4/26/10FederalAviationAdministrationFlightStandardsServiceWashington,DChttp://www.
faa.
gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/airline_operators/airline_safety/infoAnInFOcontainsvaluableinformationforoperatorsthatshouldhelpthemmeetcertainadministrative,regulatory,oroperationalrequirementswithrelativelylowurgencyorimpactonsafety.
Subject:CockpitdistractionsPurpose:Toemphasizetocrewmembersandoperatorsthatengagingintasksnotdirectlyrelatedtorequiredflightduties,includingusingpersonalelectronicdevices(PED),constitutesasafetyrisk.
Background:RecentincidentsandaccidentshaverevealedpilotsusingPEDs,includinglaptopcomputersandmobiletelephones,forpersonalactivitiesunrelatedtothedutiesandresponsibilitiesrequiredforconductofaflight.
Inoneinstance,twopilotswereusingtheirlaptopcomputersduringcruiseandlostsituationalawareness,leadingtoa150milefly-byofdestination.
Inanotherinstance,apilotwastextingaftertheaircraftpushedbackfromthegateandbeforethetake-offsequence.
Instillanotherinstance,aFederalAviationAdministration(FAA)inspectorinthejumpseatoverheardacrewmember'smobilephoneringduringthetakeoffroll.
Discussion:Itisacrewmember'sresponsibilitytoguardagainstdistractionsontheflightdeck.
Technologycontinuestoadvanceandprovidesourindustrywithnewtoolstoassistcrewsinaccomplishingtheirjobs.
Forinstance,electronicflightbags(EFB)(bothinstalledandportable)andhighspeeddatatransferunitsaretwoofthemorerecentandincreasinglycommondevicesavailable.
Forthetravelingpublic,PEDsareanestablishedfactoflife,particularlyinthehighlymobileairtransportationindustry.
WhilePEDscanbevaluabletoolsinaviationoperations,crewmemberscannotpermitPEDstodistractthemfromfocusingondutiesandresponsibilitiesrelatedtotheflight.
Regulationsregardingsterileflightdecksprohibitcrewmembersfromperforminganydutiesnotrelatingtothesafeoperationoftheaircraftduringcriticalphasesofflight.
Atotherphasesofflight,crewmembersmustavoidbecomingdistractedbyanytasknotrelatedtothesafeoperationoftheflight,whetheritinvolvesuseofaPEDornot.
Maintainingthepublictrustisbothapersonalresponsibilityandprofessionalrequirement.
RecommendedAction:Operatorsshouldcreateasafetyculturethatclearlyestablishesguidance,expectationsandrequirementstocontrolcockpitdistractions,includinguseofPEDs,duringflightoperations.
DirectorsofOperationsandDirectorsofSafetyshouldreviewandreinforcethesepoliciesandguidance.
Directorsoftrainingshouldreviewandreinforcecrewtrainingonthissubject.
Crewmembersshouldevaluatetheirpersonalpractices,includingthoseregardingtheuseofPEDs,toensuretheydonotdistractfromorinterferewithdutiesandresponsibilitiesrelatedtotheflight.
Contact:AnyquestionsregardingthisInFOshouldbedirectedtothePart121AirCarrierOperationsBranch,AFS-220at(202)267-8166.
Distributedby:AFS-200OPR:AFS-220