Will Determine If A Pilot Is In The Correct Frame Of Mind To Fly

ANN April 1 Special Edition

The FAA has granted a contract effective April 1 to Avidyne for the development of a Pilot Attitude Indicator (PAI) that would determine whether a pilot is in the correct frame of mind to fly. The device would be required equipment in commercial airliners and GA airplanes over 10,000 pounds Gross Takeoff Weight.

DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx said that the device was a natural extension of rules that cover the amount of rest pilots get between flights. "A tired pilot is often a grumpy pilot," Foxx said in a news release, "and a grumpy pilot might be prone to cut corners just to 'get this bird in the air'. We need to know that the pilots carrying our families are happy pilots, or they'll be sent to time out."

The device would use a biofeedback system based on the 70's novelty mood rings to determine a pilot's attitude. "Pilots would be allowed to start engines if the system gives us a red, orange, or green indication, but blue or purple would send the pilot back to the pilot's lounge for some additional attitude adjustment," said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. "The amount of time in "time out" would be determined by where they scored on the biofeedback tests."

Pilots flying cargo aircraft would be exempt. "Meh," said Huerta.

ALPA president Capt. Lee Moak said in a statement that the union strongly opposes the development of the device. "Sometimes flying is the only thing we can do to get our heads straight," Moak said. "I don't know of any pilots who don't feel 100 percent better once they settle into the cockpit and get ready to fly. Most of them are certainly not in it for the money ... they just love to fly airplanes."

An Avidyne official said that rumors that the device would also send data over an encrypted ADS-B stream to the NSA were just that ... rumors.

(Image Photoshopped by Nathan Cremisino)

FMI: www.avidyne.com, www.faa.gov