In light of the recent Air India crash, a long-standing debate has been rekindled about whether or not video cameras should be installed in aircraft cockpits. Willie Walsh, the head of the International Air Transport Association and a former airline pilot, advocates for cockpit cameras to complement existing voice and flight data recorders. These cameras have an enormous potential to enhance the accident investigators’ ability to track pilot behaviors. They’ll assist in reconstructing the series of events that preceded every single incident.
As you may recall, last month Air India flight 171 had a tragic crash just minutes after departing Ahmedabad, India. It led to the deaths of 241 of the 242 people aboard as well as 19 ground fatalities. These investigations have raised important issues regarding the crash as it relates to pilot behavior. In specific, there is worry that one of the 787’s many pilots may have unintentionally shut off fuel to the Boeing 787 engines shortly after takeoff.
Aviation safety experts have long pointed to the value of such video footage. Yet it’s incredibly important for identifying the root causes of crashes. Even the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) recently lauded the merits of video evidence. This commendation followed their recent joint investigation into a helicopter crash with a Robinson R66 earlier this year. They praised Robinson Helicopters for including cameras factory-equipped on their aircraft and encouraged other manufacturers to follow suit with safety improvements.
America’s pilots’ unions, including the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) and the Allied Pilots Association (APA), have made their fierce opposition clear. Civil libertarians like Martin are concerned about privacy infringement and the potential for misuse of recorded footage. Dennis Tajer, a spokesman for the APA and American Airlines pilot, understood the public’s desire for information. As he noted, there are pilots who have very serious concerns about how this data is going to be used.
“I can understand the initial reaction of the more information, the better,” – Dennis Tajer
In spite of these concerns, the overwhelming consensus among experts is that cockpit cameras would provide substantial safety benefits. John Nance, an air safety expert and former commercial airline pilot, stated that “in the balance between privacy and safety, the scale tips toward safety, unequivocally.” Nance underscored how protecting the flying public is a “sacred obligation.”
Walsh pointed out that if video footage had been available, it would have provided crucial information about how Air India flight 171 ended up going off the runway. He mentioned that, based on preliminary information, “it’s quite possible that a video recording, in addition to the voice recording, would significantly assist the investigators in conducting that investigation on the issue of mental health.”
While proponents advocate for cockpit cameras as a means to enhance aviation safety, critics caution against potential implications for pilots’ privacy and job security. John Cox, an aviation safety expert and retired airline pilot, voiced concerns regarding how footage might be utilized by airlines or leaked to the public. He remarked on the unfortunate reality that “a pilot’s death being broadcast on ‘the 6 o’clock news is not something that the pilot’s family should ever have to go through.”
The push for cockpit video recorders is not a brand new idea. Back in 2000, Jim Hall was the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) chairman. To their credit, he called for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to mandate the installation of cockpit image recorders on commercial airliners. This recommendation certainly hasn’t been widely adopted.
At the moment, cockpit voice recordings are protected from disclosure during investigations. Investigators generally only make available excerpted or complete transcripts in their final reports. Today, the Indian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will release its final report about the Air India crash. Their hope is to have this done in a year’s time.
As discussions continue about balancing safety with privacy concerns, industry experts highlight the potential benefits of cockpit cameras in preventing future tragedies. As the discussion continues, we are seeing an important convergence of technology, safety and pilot quality of life in the aviation sector.
