Pilot dies at controls.

[Rover 11]

RIP Ann - a pioneer in flying and a well known jumper in NZ in the early 80s.
This will potentially play havoc with medical standards though.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11351337

2 wrongs don't make a right - but 3 lefts do.

[lowapproach 0]

I am not familiar with the medical standards in NZ, so if they are substantially different from the US my opinion may be off topic.

I don't think this will result in much of an impact on US FAA standards for AMEs and testing. This would not really have been detectable.


From the article "One of the three other pilots in the cockpit at the time took control of the plane, taxiing it to the gate, while the others went to her aid." This is why unmanned flight is unlikely, at least in my lifetime. Multi-crew aircraft with a PF and a PM (and in many cases a relief crew) are there for this type of event.

She sounds like she was an awesome lady though.

[JohnMitchell 16]

She's certainly not the first pilot to die at the controls, although I can't remember any previous incidents on commercial flights. I don't think this will change much, except for continuing to have 2-person crews.

[Dilligas 0]

Another story with a photo of Ann Barbarich:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/62847694/air-nz-pilot-collapses-after-landing-dreamliner

I always like to see photos of people that are being talked about...

[obelixtim 150]

Thats a bit of a shock. Ann was around the jump scene for quite a long time back then.

Doubt if a medical would have picked up an impending aneurysm though.

RIP Ann.

My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

[sfzombie13 324]

from the article, she didn't die at the controls but in a perth hospital two days later. a little misleading in the thread title.

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