MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Northwest pilots who flew 150 miles past their intended airport in Minneapolis this past week insist a clandestine nap isn't to blame for their goof.
But the prospect that a drowsy flight crew could have slept through frantic calls from air traffic controllers could renew a focus on pilot fatigue and research that suggests controlled catnaps might actually make flying safer.
The Federal Aviation Administration prohibits pilots from sleeping while flying. But international carriers including Air France, British Airways and Qantas allow them to nap.
Just last month, the Air Transport Association again pressed the FAA to allow controlled cockpit napping, citing NASA research that found a mid-flight snooze significantly reduces the risks of overall pilot fatigue.
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