Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) recently advised carriers to decide their own policy regarding whether to require two crewmembers in the cockpit at all times during flights.
“The review of the practice in Australia found there were unintended consequential risks, including the second person in the cockpit potentially distracting the pilot, making inadvertent contact with cockpit switches and taking cabin crew away from their safety role in the cabin,” CASA said. “It was also found the practice complicated flight crew access to the cockpit and introduced an additional risk of flight deck incursion.”
The European Aviation Safety Agency issued a safety bulletin March 27, 2015 requiring at least two authorized persons to be in the cockpit at all times. The bulletin was revised the following year.
The original bulletin was in response to the intentional crash of Germanwings Flight 9525 in which the co-pilot committed suicide by flying the jet into the French Alps.
Not long after the accident, the Australian government and the airlines agreed to update and implement standard operating procedures for aircraft with a seating capacity of more than 50 passengers.
Last month, CASA sent a letter to the Australian Airlines Pilots’ Association saying it had considered advice it received from pilot unions and airlines.