http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080626/wl_st...at_080626122700I've always wondered how common this is, but without it going as far. Anyone who has worked the midnight shift, that is, working nights and sleeping days (or trying to sleep and be properly rested) knows what I'm getting at. By the way, "buzzed the cockpit"...can controllers trigger a loud audio-alarm in the cockpit when they can't get the pilot's attention any other way?--Roger

Its pretty stupid to blame it on a brief communications breakdownHow many pilots for example on a flight to london heathrow would fly over it at cruise altitude of 36000ft? You'd have thought they would have requested a descent and if the radios were buggered then changed transponder code?

The 747 FMC has a Crew Alertness Monitor which monitors time since last pilot button push on a number of functions including MCP, EFIS, EICAS etc. The criteria is Airline defined and the feature can be selected on or off.If no activity, there is an advisory message, then upgraded to a cautionary and if still no crew response, the siren will sound!(that should get somebody interested- if only a passenger!!!)The above from Bulfer's FMC User's Guide. Don't leave home without it!Alex Reid