The sudden death of Captain Ilçehin Pehlivan on board Turkish airlines Flight TK204 from Seattle to Istanbul stirred up the aviation community. Flying over the Canadian territory of Nunavut, Pehlivan, 59, suddenly collapsed, leading the flight crew to divert the Airbus A350 to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. Despite immediate attempts to resuscitate him, the captain died before the plane could land safely.

More details about the incident

A map shared by flight tracking data company FlightAware appears to show the plane flying over northern Canada before diverting south toward New York. The co-pilot and relief pilot successfully guided Flight TK204 to ensure a safe landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Captain Pehlivan had worked for the company since 2007 and passed his medicals earlier this year.

Turkish Airlines spokesperson Yahya Ustun said:

“The pilot of our Airbus 350… flight TK204 from Seattle to Istanbul collapsed during the flight. After an unsuccessful attempt at first aid, the crew of another pilot and co-pilot decided to make an emergency landing, but he died before landing.

The debate over a single-pilot operation

This incident highlights the irreplaceable role of pilots in ensuring the safety of passengers, but also draws attention to ongoing discussions within aviation about the possible move towards single-pilot operations. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) explored ways to incorporate these changes, including technological advances that could allow a single pilot to manage the cockpit with automated assistance. The EASA has underlines that additional emergency measures are required in scenarios such as when a pilot becomes incapacitated.

The proposal, designed to reduce the need for relief pilots on long-haul flights, faced strong opposition from pilot unions and safety advocates globally. Most notably, the US Airline Pilots Association (ECA), the Oneworld Cockpit Crew Coalition (OCCC) and the Skyteam Pilots Association have expressed their strong opposition to short-handed operations, warning that such a move could compromise aviation safety in scenarios such as flight TK204. . In this case, the presence of a second-in-command and a relief pilot was crucial in allowing the plane to land safely and avoid a disastrous event.

The Skyteam Pilots Association added:

“We are embarking on a global campaign to ensure that current standards that have helped make aviation the safest means of transport are not eroded. »

As the aviation industry continues to advance and explore new technologies, should it emphasize short-handed operations, or is the presence of multiple pilots crucial to ensuring passenger safety? Share your thoughts in the comments below.