# Pilot sends plane into dive after mistaking Venus for oncoming plane

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilot-sends-plane-into-dive-after-mistaking-venus-for-oncoming-plane/619095>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [April 17, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilot-sends-plane-into-dive-after-mistaking-venus-for-oncoming-plane/619095 "2012-04-17T23:05:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilot-sends-plane-into-dive-after-mistaking-venus-for-oncoming-plane/619095/21 "2012-04-18T14:45:13Z")

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> [@AK84](#):
>
> Like [this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Birth_of_Venus_by_William-Adolphe_Bouguereau_(1879).jpg) I believe.
> 
> NSFW

Wow, Venus is hot!

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**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilot-sends-plane-into-dive-after-mistaking-venus-for-oncoming-plane/619095/22 "2012-04-18T15:03:20Z")

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> [@Critical\_Mass](#):
>
> After reading the report, I believe the First Officer, in the moment, reacted to a perceived threat. The Captain erred in engaging the FO immediately after the FO woke up. Some passengers were not wearing seatbelts while the seatbelt sign was on. Air Canada fatigue management procedures, while not followed completely in this case, require review and modernization - the same can be said generally of Canadian Aviation Regulations to ensure that flight crew receive appropriate rest prior to and during long flight operations, especially at night.

This was a very interesting report.

There is plenty of factors in play. The flight deck lights were on full, which made it more difficult to see clearly. At a closing speed of 900 km/hr, it’s only until 15 seconds prior to contact before one can perceive if the oncoming plane is above or below.

The FO has a baby, and in not getting enough sleep. While I think that fathers should share in the care of babies, parents with jobs where not being alert can endanger others need to find alternatives. This is especially critical in the West to East route, which the report says is more likely to cause fatigue.

The pilot has some blame as he blatantly disregarded the fatigue management procedures in two critical areas. First, he allowed the FO to sleep longer than the permitted 40 minutes, which allows a person to fall into a deeper sleep. And, as noted, the pilot briefed the FO before the FO was alert.

Finally, this is another example of why CNN is no longer a reliable news source. If you want to misrepresent stories to sell commercials, change your name to the National Enquirer.

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**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilot-sends-plane-into-dive-after-mistaking-venus-for-oncoming-plane/619095/23 "2012-04-18T15:56:03Z")

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> [@tdn](#):
>
> Wow, Venus is hot!

[It certainly is.](http://www.universetoday.com/14306/temperature-of-venus/)😃

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