Right or wrong celebrating pilot’s feat?

Have you ever joined other passengers to applaud, Commend and praise a pilot for safely landing an aircraft after wading through bad weather conditions?

If Yes is your answer you are not wrong if No is your answer you may not also be wrong, after all, it is the responsibility of the pilots to ensure the safety of his/her passengers onboard a flight.

But the question is, Is it wrong to commend the pilots for taking passengers safely from point A to B whether there is bad weather or not or even technical or mechanical fault?.

Before you answer ruminate about this before you say, Yes or No.

Are pilot’s humans? Yes, they are.

They are men and women, husbands and wives, sisters and brothers, uncles and aunties, nephews and cousins, sons and daughters, citizens of countries, professionals in the business of flying people above sea level in different altitudes.

They are humans with feelings and emotions.

Many people travel by air but never get to see the pilots but they know they are there because they get to hear their voices when they introduce themselves, reassure them the flight would be smooth, hours to get their destinations, skies they are flying over or even when there is going to be turbulence ahead or when they are about to enter into a bumpy situation. Of course without the pilots, an aircraft cannot fly.

Pilots safeguard not only the aircraft but also the lives of those onboard.

Weather challenges

In the course of carrying out their duties, pilots often face bad weather phenomenon and because they have been well trained to handle such a situation they are never afraid to do so at any time.

Before embarking on a flight, pilots painstakingly plan every aspect of the flight which includes weather analysis, route selection, fuel calculations, and risk assessments. All these are done to ensure smooth, safe and secured flight.

Apart from this, before takeoff, they perform thorough pre-flight checks, verifying that all systems are functioning correctly. During the flight, they constantly monitor the aircraft’s performance, navigation systems, and communication with air traffic control.

In case of unexpected turbulence, equipment malfunctions, or adverse weather conditions, pilots must make swift decisions to maintain the safety of the flight.

This brings us to the subject matter of this piece.

Bad weather is a challenge for pilots; it can test their skills, experience, and decision-making abilities to their limits – from thunderstorms and fog to strong winds, snow and ice.

Thunderstorms can lead to severe turbulence, lightning, and heavy rain, creating a hazardous environment for flying.

For passengers, encountering these conditions can be anxiety-inducing and their appreciation for the skills and professionalism of pilots is often magnified during such moments of uncertainty.

Before each flight, pilots receive detailed weather briefings, including forecasts, current conditions, and potential hazards along their route from the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet). Acting on a favourable weather conditions for flight, the pilots take off, otherwise they have to wait.

The weather information given is reliable because the agency has the wherewithal, equipment, the requisite and professional manpower.

When the weather is really bad and can hamper safety when in flight or probably when the aircraft is about to land, pilots can take certain decisions for safety; it can either be a go around, make an air return or land at an alternate airport.

For every decision taken by the pilot, remember, his/her life is also at stake; whether the decision is right or wrong, the result is known after the decision is executed.

One of these decisions was taken on September 27, 2023 by two Dana Air pilots, Captain Abiodun Lawal and First Officer Toluwase Oluwani who landed safely after a go-around in Abuja due to bad weather. 2023.

The captain of the flight from Lagos to Abuja with over 140 passengers on approach had to initiate a go-around which is a safety procedure when the conditions for landing are not good enough.

In a trending video, the visibly elated passengers were seen taking pictures with the captain and his first officer, commending them for high safety consciousness and for reassuring the passengers constantly through the duration of the go-around.

According to Lawal upon approaching the Abuja runway, the visibility was poor due bad weather and “we had to initiate a go-around.”

A go- around is a fundamental safety procedure in ensuring that the conditions on the runway, approach and aircraft are conductive for landing.

The ability to maintain a steady course, reduce turbulence effects, and execute smooth landings in challenging weather is highly commended by passengers.

Where the passengers wrong in eulogizing the pilots or would you say, “What is the big deal”?

Some stakeholders may say, after all, it is their responsibility to ensure the passengers are safe, that is what they are trained and paid for.

A good friend of mine asked me, why did the pilots embark on the flight if they knew the weather in Abuja was bad?

“Did they not get weather briefing or information from NiMet? I would have asked the pilot, how the weather was like before the flight and during the flight and just after the flight in a span of one hour period.

“You know when you call the control tower, the tower tells you the weather condition as you are approaching, you know what weather you can even initiate an approach to begin with.”

I guess the weather wasn’t that bad for the pilot to initiate approach to land as stated by my friend.

With these questions raised, can we say, the pilots didn’t know what they were doing? Of course not.

Pilots have displayed their professionalism and heroism in many ways to save their passengers’ lives, often times in very bad situations.

The celebrated Hudson River landing, though not due to weather, in 2009, there was the Hudson River incident which was tagged, “Miracle on the Hudson”. Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles successfully executed an emergency water landing in the Hudson River after their aircraft struck a flock of birds shortly after takeoff from New York’s LaGuardia Airport. All 155 passengers and crew members were safely evacuated.

In 1988, after an explosive decompression tore a large section of the fuselage off the aircraft of Aloha Airlines Flight 243, Captain Robert Schornstheimer safely landed the Boeing 737 and there was only one fatality among the 95 passengers and crew.

In Nigeria many pilots have demonstrated exceptional skills and saved lives.

In 2016, the crew Med-View Airlines Flight 210 successfully executed an emergency landing after a reported technical fault, ensuring the safety of all passengers and crew on board.

In 2019 a highly skilled pilot safely landed Air Peace Flight 7191 aircraft that had a burst tire, preventing a potential disaster and ensuring the safety of all passengers.

With such feats, are pilots not worth being celebrated, eulogised, praised or commended?

Is it Wrong?

Whether it is navigating through challenging weather phenomena or skillfully bringing the aircraft safely to the ground due technical fault or otherwise, these individuals deserve commendation.

The profound praise that passengers have for pilots who have successfully guided them to safety, showcase the vital role these individuals play in flight safety.

These commendations serve as a testament to the remarkable work that pilots do every day.

Their dedication, expertise, and unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety of passengers are indeed truly commendable.

Again, is it wrong to applaud them?