When several computer programmers are gathered around a single machine working out a problem, the person at the keyboard is said to be “driving.” When I drive my laptop at the desk here, I don’t keep a glass of water nearby in case I get thirsty – no mugs of hot chocolate on cold mornings either.
I’m too worried I might do a knucklehead thing like spill it right into the electronics. I know such an accident might cause problems for my computer’s continued functioning. I also know that accidents DO happen, so any drink near the keyboard has a twist-top or cap. Only makes sense.
United Airlines: Good to the Last Drop
That’s why it’s a wee bit troubling to learn that airline pilots are slinging cups of coffee in the cockpit, and the inevitable accident forced an emergency landing.
From the Associated Press:
The report on Transport Canada’s website said the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration reported that United’s corporate office had indicated that the pilot “had inadvertently squawked a 7500 code after spilling coffee on the aircraft’s radio equipment, which interfered with the communications equipment.”
“The flight crew had advised that they had communication problems and subsequently reported that they had some navigation problems as well and from there the pilot in the command diverted the flight onto Toronto,” Maryse Durette, a Transport Canada spokeswoman, said Wednesday.
United spokesman Rahsaan Johnson acknowledged Wednesday that one of three cockpit crew members caused the mishap by spilling a drink.
In fact, the shorted electronics caused an message to be sent that the jet’s cockpit was under assault by hijackers. Other communications were knocked out. The pilot decided he’d better divert the flight to the nearest airport. They landed safely.
I’m guessing the control panel on a United jet is just a tad more expensive than my mid-range laptop. You’d think there would be some common-sense rules applied, if not for the sake of the airliner, then maybe for the lives of the passengers, who are required to turn off their electronics – for safety.