Qantas pilots making errors after long periods without flying

Qantas is finding that pilots who have not flown for long periods due to the COVID-19 pandemic are making errors such as commencing take-off with the park brake on, and need more time for routine procedures. The problems are outlined in an internal Qantas memo obtained by the Herald and The Age, and underscore the challenges facing airlines worldwide as out-of-practice pilots return to full duties after being stood down. In the memo, the heads of Qantas’ fleet operations say the two-year disruption from the pandemic had “created a situation where expert pilots have lost recency and experienced a subsequent reduction in cognitive capacity”. “Combined with reduced flying across the network, we recognise a flow on effect for flight crew’s focus and familiarity with the operation,” they said. “Routine items that used to be completed with a minimum of effort now occupy more time and divert attention away from flying the aircraft.” The airline’s flight operations team monitors trends and looks for systemic or repeat events, which they said was “especially important during the disrupted period of operations we have experienced over the last 19 months”. A summary of recent trends from Qantas pilot reports identified “errors” while planes were on the ground such as “commencing take-off with park brake set” and “misidentification of altitude as airspeed”. The memo cited on-ground “threats” such as switches on the cockpit panels being in incorrect positions and “exterior inspection events”.<br/>