Many Australian Qantas pilots haven't been in the air for nearly two years. Now the newspaper “Sydney Morning Herald” reports; that there has been an excessive accumulation of serious errors in the past few weeks.

Have the pilots forgotten how to fly? Probably not, but after almost two years of forced break on the floor, the routine that one otherwise masters in sleep could at least be a little rusty for one or the other. This would also explain why many pilots take longer to complete routine tasks like filling out forms than they did before the pandemic. 

Qantas warns in an internal circular that work must be carried out with the utmost care. It also states, among other things: “Some pilots have lost their memory and as a result experienced a reduction in their cognitive abilities”. Examples include the fact that people forgot to release the parking brakes before take-off, altitude and speed were mixed up, or switches in the cockpit were put in the wrong position.

The Qantas media office does not deny any of the incidents or the internal circular. On the contrary: It was quickly recognized that special training programs were needed after such a long time on the ground and that the comeback in the cockpit is extremely complex. These should now come quickly.