Aviation Observer Recommends System to Avoid Sleeping Incident Mid-flight for Indonesian Pilots

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Transportation Safety Committee or KNKT revealed the incident of Batik Air ID-6723 pilot and copilot falling asleep during the Kendari-Jakarta flight on January 25, 2024. To prevent another similar incident, an aviation observer from the Indonesian Aviation Network, Gerry Soejatman, suggested that commercial aircraft install a Crew Alertness Monitor system.

"I remember that there is an available system that can be installed on the plane to prevent the two pilots from falling asleep," he said in a statement, quoted on Tuesday, March 12, 2024.

Thus far, the Crew Alertness Monitor or CAM has not been installed and is not an option on all types of commercial aircraft. Gerry revealed that the CAM system only exists in widebody or long-haul aircraft, such as the Boeing 747-400, Boeing 767-300ER, and Boeing 777.

According to him, with the increasing number of night flights for short and medium distances, this CAM system should be installed and made an option in all types of commercial aircraft. "If you don't install this CAM, you should take turns sleeping," he said.

This system will monitor the switch action in several places, such as the autopilot panel, cockpit display controller, and EICAS control panel, to the activation of the top of descent.

The way this system works, he said, is that the aircraft will issue an EICAS alert to determine the pilot's response if there is no activity on the switches. The pilot can turn off the warning by pressing one of the lit switches and the CAM time will be reset. The pilot can set the audible alarm at the appropriate level for report, warning, and distress alarms.

The CAM time can be set into two phases. First, in the cruising phase, the system time to monitor is 15 to 60 minutes (default 15 minutes) for reports, 15 to 75 minutes (default 20 minutes) for warnings, and 15 to 75 minutes (default 25 minutes) for danger alarms.

As for the descent phase, pilots can set this CAM time with 5 to 60 minutes (default 5 minutes) for reports, 5 to 75 minutes (default 6 minutes) for warnings, and 5 to 75 minutes (default 7 minutes) for danger alarms.

Another solution, said Gerry, is for both pilots to set alarms on their devices, thereby avoiding incidents of oversleeping and over-fueling the aircraft.

NOVALI PANJI NUGROHO

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