FAA Says No More Minesweeper Or Solitaire In Cockpit

If you like to pass the time playing minesweeper, or checking your Facebook updates while piloting a 900,000-pound aircraft 400 mph, you won't like the latest FAA decision. The agency has asked airlines to create policies to minimize cockpit distractions, including pilots' use of personal electronic devices. "There is no room for distraction when your job is to get people safely to their destinations," said DOT Secretary Ray LaHood. "The traveling public expects professional pilots to focus on flying and on safety at all times."

Minesweeper

[D Ninja]

Should that have been caught when going through security at the airport? I mean, at a minimum, we're talking 10 bombs here...

MFS

[Ukab the Great]

Does the ban apply to Microsoft Flight Simulator?

Talk and Fly

[Anonymous Coward]

Can we please ban them for talking to the traffic control centre too? Just like we're banning cellphone use in cars?

Thanks.

Re:Boredom

[BradleyUffner]

The pilot's job is the feed the dog. The dog's job is to stop the pilot from touching the controls.

Re:Check Facebook?

[eln]

They use one of those Pringles can antennae, except instead of a Pringles can they use the fuselage of the aircraft. It's not difficult, the trick is attaching your laptop to the outer metal skin of the airplane. You can do it yourself, you just need to take a power drill or something of that nature on to the plane...don't worry, just explain to the security guys what it's for, they'll be okay with it.

Re:They need something to do

[Volante3192]

Pilot: "I spy, with my little eye, something white and fluffy."

Copilot: "A cloud. Ok, my turn. I spy, with my little eye, something white and fluffy."

Pilot: "Another cloud. Alright, I spy..."

Re:They need something to do

[PPH]

They can clean their handguns.

Re:MFS

[LunarEffect]

Excuse me memeing, but...

Yo dawg, we heard you like flying so we put a cockpit in your cockpit so you can fly while you fly! :D

Re:Minesweeper

[davester666]

Yeah, the pilots should go back to bangin' the steward/ess from First Class...

Re:They need something to do

[somejeff]

Cap't Crunch: "I spy... with my little eye.... something that iiiiissss... square."
Co-Cap't Palm Pilot: "Is it the APU Generator 1 Bus Tie Isolation Button?"

Re:They need something to do

[Shakrai]

Yeah, looking down at your little screen instead of out there where there might be passing birds that fly into your engines

Yeah, I've often worried about all those birds at 36,000 feet while in the cruise portion of my flights....

Re:MFS

[VGPowerlord]

Yes, but you can get around that restriction with new Microsoft Flight Simulator Simulator 2010! Brought to you by the same people who brought you World of World of Warcraft [theonion.com]!

Want your pilots to focus?

[Shadow Wrought]

Ban the auto-pilot. Problem solved!

Re:They need something to do

[the_tsi]

"No, I was thinking of that mountain goat over there."

Re:Boredom

[Chris Burke]

What are these pilots supposed to do, stare at the unchanging instruments for hours until their eyes glaze over and they pass out?

Sexual experimentation.

Re:They need something to do

[cyberworm]

I agree with you, that in the instance you specified, distractions could have been a very serious problem. Yet, I would chalk this instance up to flat out irresponsibility. My opinion is that having some tasks at hand to keep the pilot's mind functioning during a flight is fine. I feel like with the responsibility and lives being at stake, if the plane is going down, the pilot isn't going to say "oooo, I've almost beaten my high score! Give me one more minute..." My guess is they would drop their GameBoy and get to the task at hand ASAP. Even still, there are idiots out there that will be problematic once in a while, but I'm guessing they are pretty good about screening them anymore. I'd rather have the pilot pass the time playing video games/reading/surfing porn than drinking (like they used to).

Re:airliner cockpit boredom

[D Ninja]

At least if one of them's banging the steward/ess, it means that the other one's free to fly the plane.

You obviously don't have a good enough imagination...