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Juliette Kayyem

Good is my copilot

The recent pilot scare is a reminder that redundancy means safety

By Juliette Kayyem

 |  Globe Columnist  

  April 02, 2012

It’s probably inevitable that JetBlue Captain Clayton Osborn’s manic breakdown in the cockpit of Flight 191 is causing rampant speculation about the adequacy of pilot screening for mental conditions. There will likely be congressional hearings, lawsuits, and new administrative rules. Not every drama or near tragedy is a teachable moment. At the risk of sounding too chill about the whole incident, we should just sit back, admit stuff happens, and recognize that there was a backup plan: the co-pilot.

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