Top Noem aide ‘entered cockpit mid-flight to fire pilot over missing blanket’ | EUROtoday

Corey Lewandowski, a senior US homeland safety aide, has been accused of getting into the cockpit of a authorities jet uninvited final yr earlier than allegedly firing a pilot over a misplaced blanket.

The incident, detailed by two people conversant in the matter, occurred throughout a flight with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, a long-time ally of President Donald Trump, when her blanket was found to be lacking.

These new revelations recommend Mr Lewandowski might have violated security pointers set by the US Coast Guard, which operated the plane. According to at least one supply, he gained entry to the cockpit earlier than the aircraft had reached 10,000 toes (3,048 metres) and whereas the seatbelt signal was nonetheless illuminated.

Federal Aviation Administration guidelines, a number of of which had been tightened after 9/11, strictly restrict cockpit entry and prohibit interfering with plane crew duties. An FAA regulation additionally prohibits airline pilots and workers from partaking in non-essential actions or conversations within the cockpit whereas working beneath 10,000 toes, and civil plane operators that violate that rule may face hundreds of {dollars} in fines whereas pilots may face fines or termination.

The U.S. Coast Guard will not be legally certain by the FAA’s regulation, generally known as the “sterile cockpit rule,” however has an analogous coverage, spelled out in a 2021 operations guide: “No person shall engage in any conversation or activity that could distract or interfere with a flight crewmember properly conducting their assigned duties during critical phases of flight.”

The guide doesn’t present a selected penalty for violating the rule, however states that rule violations usually can be dealt with via inner disciplinary processes.

In response to a Reuters request for remark, Lewandowski mentioned in a textual content message: “There was never a conversation in the cockpit when the flight was taking off.”

Lewandowski mentioned the info as associated by the sources had been unsuitable however he didn’t reply on whether or not he entered the cockpit whereas the aircraft was climbing and nonetheless beneath 10,000 toes.

Aviation security specialists take into account the preliminary ascent among the many riskiest components of any flight.

Randy Klatt, a flight security officer with The Foundation for Aviation Safety, mentioned planes are “low and slow” throughout the preliminary climb to 10,000 toes, making it essential for pilots to give attention to flight operations.

“This is a vulnerable situation for any aircraft,” Klatt mentioned. “You don’t have the altitude to spare, or trade for airspeed if needed.”

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Coast Guard, which falls beneath DHS, declined to touch upon the flight in query. They didn’t reply to a Reuters request to interview the pilots. The FAA didn’t reply to a request for remark.

Noem, a prime official overseeing Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown, has come beneath intense scrutiny after federal immigration brokers killed two U.S. residents in Minneapolis in January. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month on infighting and tensions at DHS beneath Noem and Lewandowski, together with the firing of the pilot.

In response to a request for remark about Lewandowski getting into the cockpit and about tensions at DHS, the White House referred to remarks in late January by Trump praising Noem and remarks by press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying Trump had the “utmost confidence and trust” in her.

Lewandowski, a “special government employee” who by legislation is allowed to work as much as 130 days yearly, is a senior Noem adviser and has traveled on high-profile journeys along with her. The Wall Street Journal reported that the White House Counsel’s Office opened an investigation into Lewandowski’s use of the quasi-government position final yr.

The DHS spokesperson mentioned that Lewandowski volunteers his time and that the division was not conscious of any such investigation. Lewandowski didn’t remark when requested by Reuters about his employment standing.

During the flight final spring, which was on a Gulfstream jet, the pilots within the cockpit requested Lewandowski to return to the cabin till that they had reached cruising altitude, one of many folks conversant in the incident mentioned.

When the pilot walked again into the cabin later within the flight, the 2 sources mentioned, Lewandowski requested who must be fired as a result of Noem’s blanket had been left behind after they switched planes for technical causes earlier than take-off.

The pilot, an completed flyer with a protracted document of service, took accountability for any doable mistake and Lewandowski fired him on the spot, the sources mentioned, confirming the Wall Street Journal report.

However, as soon as Noem and Lewandowski reached their vacation spot, Coast Guard management realized the pilot can be wanted to fly them again to the Washington area and he was reinstated by the company, the sources mentioned. DHS and the Coast Guard declined to touch upon the pilot’s firing and reinstatement. Reuters was unable to independently verify the rationale for the reinstatement.