The Heavy Cross of Being an Airline Pilot!

A Frequent Flyer’s Perspective and gratitude!

A few days ago, a friend of mine sent me an article on WhatsApp that supposedly came from a pilot about the recent air disaster involving AI 171. It said the pilots had just about 30 seconds between takeoff and impact — and it ended with the haunting line: “The last 15 of those seconds were spent knowing these were their last.” It was heartbreaking to read that last bit and in the cacophony and finger pointing that is so the case when a catastrophe happens, understand where it was coming from.

No part of this post is meant to suggest that the latest air disaster involving AI 171 was due to pilot error — at least not until the full investigation is complete. If anything it is to express my gratitude to the men and women who carry that responsibility. However, that does not take away from a larger truth:

Being an airline pilot is one of the most demanding and unforgiving professions in the world, worthy of nothing but the highest respect. It comes with immense burden, zero margin for error, and a level of responsibility that few other jobs can ever compare to.

As someone who has flown more times than I can count — across continents, airlines, and thousands of hours in the air — I’ve learned to admire pilots deeply. But admiration cannot blind us to accountability. And so, I’ve written this piece not to accuse, but to reflect on the immense weight of responsibility pilots carry, through the lens of a real and tragic case involving Singapore Airlines, my most trusted carrier.

The Incident: Singapore Airlines Flight SQ006

On October 31, 2000, Flight SQ006 — a Boeing 747-400 — was attempting to take off from Chiang Kai-shek International Airport (now Taoyuan International Airport) in Taipei, Taiwan, just as Typhoon Xangsane was beginning to wreak its havoc on the island nation’s capital. The flight was en route to Los Angeles, with Taipei as its scheduled stopover. What followed was a near-fatalistic crash that left an indelible mark on aviation — and on the airline’s otherwise impeccable record.

Amid torrential rain and poor visibility, the cockpit crew, led by Captain Foong Chee Kong, mistakenly taxied the aircraft onto Runway 05R, which had been closed for construction. The correct runway, 05L, was active and available — but in the confusion and limited visibility of the storm, the crew failed to confirm their position. Despite not having reached the minimum speed required for takeoff, the captain made a last-second attempt to lift off — a desperate effort to avoid a collision.

The latter half of the aircraft collided violently with construction equipment. The plane broke apart and caught fire.

83 people lost their lives and only 96 of the 197 passengers and crew survived — including the captain.

The Weight of Command

The captain, Foong Chee Kong, was a seasoned Malaysian pilot with over 11,000 flying hours, including more than 2,000 on the Boeing 747-400. He was later found at fault by both Taiwan’s Aviation Safety Council and Singapore’s Ministry of Transport. Though not criminally charged, he was stripped of his license and never flew again. By many accounts, the emotional toll was immense — it is said he wished he had not survived, so heavy was the burden of guilt he carried.

This is the heavy cross every commercial pilot carries. A single mistake, a split-second lapse, can cost dozens — even hundreds — of lives. It is a job that demands not just skill, but discipline, presence, and an unrelenting sense of responsibility. No excuses. No mercy.

It is not about the pilot. Not about the aircraft. It is about the people — trusting, unsuspecting souls — whose lives are literally in their hands.

The Unforgiving Standard

That is why it is so disturbing when one reads or hears of pilots partying the night before a flight, or probably being under the influence just hours before takeoff. Also — as is often the case, in countries like India — cockpit crew is seen arriving literally minutes before the scheduled departure time, more often than not due to managing heavy and exacting workloads or traffic congestions. But can that really be an excuse?

In the developed nations, someone who has had just a couple of drinks is, by law, not even allowed to drive a car. Nor is a driver of a race car allowed to take the wheel without passing strict medical tests. So how can one possibly accept anything less than absolute mental clarity and peak physical fitness when it comes to the readiness of a commercial airline pilot? Given the gravity of the role and the lives of hundreds entrusted to their hands should anything less be acceptable?

A Sacred Duty

Being a pilot demands more than sheer expertise. It demands utmost vigilance, a strong character, and a humility that comes with bearing such heavy responsibility. Those who treat it lightly should never be allowed near a cockpit — let alone inside one.

Because the cost of failure is not just measured in lives lost — but in lives forever changed.

I end with a big thank you to all those pilots — the women and the men who carry this immense responsibility, with grace, focus, quiet courage and humility. Who ferry us across skies and continents, through storms, fatigue, and unimaginable pressure. Who take us to wherever life needs us to be — and bring us home, safely, year after year after year.