Robert Piché (born November 5, 1952) is a Canadian pilot. On August 24, 2001, he was captain of the Airbus A330 flying Air Transat Flight 236 and managed to land the aircraft safely in the Azores after it lost all power due to fuel exhaustion. As of January 2023[update] this remains a record glide length for a commercial aircraft in non powered flight. Piché and his co-pilot were later assigned partial responsibility for the incident, despite not being responsible for the improper maintenance that led to the fuel exhaustion.
After graduation he worked for regional airlines until he was laid off by Quebecair. After being laid off, he worked odd jobs which consisted of smuggling marijuana to the United States by plane.[1]
Beginning in November 1983, Piché served 16 months of a 5-year sentence in prison after a plane he landed solo at a small airfield in the state of Georgia was found to be full of marijuana smuggled from Jamaica. He was released on March 20, 1985. He was pardoned in 2000 and is considered fully rehabilitated.[2]
In 1995, at the age of 43, Air Transat hired Piché. He rose rapidly from co-pilot to captain on the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, and transitioned to the Airbus A330 in the spring of 2000.[3]
On October 1, 2017, Piché flew his last commercial flight. He retired from commercial flying after piloting TS605 from Rome to Montréal. Although this was his last commercial flight, his very last flight for Air Transat took place on October 12, 2017, when he flew C-GKTS, an A330-300 on a sightseeing flight from Montreal, over Quebec City and back to Montreal. The flight was a fundraiser for his foundation, "La Fondation Robert Piché" which helps fund programs dedicated to helping people with drug and alcohol addictions.[citation needed]
Piché is best known for performing a deadstick landing of an Airbus A330 (C-GITS) in the Azores in 2001. He glided the Airbus A330 longer than any commercial aircraft in history, and landed at an airport on a remote island with limited navigation instruments. He was able to successfully land the plane (with only 8 blown tires) with only a few injuries among the crew and 306 passengers.[2][4] In a response to a reporter's question regarding heroism, Mr. Piché stated "I don't consider myself a hero, sir. I could have done without this."[3] Canada's other successful landing of a fuel-starved aircraft was Air Canada Flight 143 (the "Gimli Glider") in 1983,[2] and Vanity Fair mentioned Piché's flight when it covered the successful water landing of US Airways Flight 1549.[3]
The primary cause of the incident was improper maintenance, caused by an incorrect part installed in the hydraulics system, resulting in the fuel leak. However, the final investigation also assigned the flight crew partial responsibility for failing to detect the fuel situation earlier. Review of the Cockpit Voice Recorder showed that the pilot failed to use the main procedural checklist when attempting to rectify the imbalance of fuel between the tanks, which might have prevented the extent of the fuel leak on one side. The pilot also transferred fuel from the working engine to the failing engine which magnified the crisis.[2][3]
Despite this, Piché was praised by media and was celebrated as a hero, especially in Quebec, where he remains a popular speaker. Experienced pilots praise the captain for not panicking or trying to make a sea landing.[5] In 2002, Piché was awarded the Superior Airmanship Award by the Air Line Pilots Association in recognition of his extraordinary skill in successfully executing the dead-stick landing of an Airbus A330.[6]
In popular culture
The story of Robert Piché is depicted in the 2010 Canadian biographical drama film Piché: The Landing of a Man (Piché: Entre ciel et terre, FR) culminating with the events on Flight 236. Captain Piché is portrayed by both Michel Côté and his son Maxime LeFlaguais. Piché is also portrayed in the television series Mayday in its episode "Flying on Empty".
References
^Han Ha, Tu (October 19, 2004). "Transat pilot flying high in popular opinion". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
^ abcdCrossette, Barbara (September 10, 2001). "Jet Pilot Who Saved 304 Finds Heroism Tainted". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
^ abcdLangewiesche, William (June 2009). "US Airways Flight 1549: Anatomy of a Miracle". vanityfair.com. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
^(PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-11-25. Retrieved 2011-12-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^"Robert Piché". robertpiche.com. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
^"Robert Piché Given Award". Aero News Network. Aero News Network. 26 August 2002. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
External links
"Jet Pilot Who Saved 304 Finds Heroism Tainted", New York Times, September 10, 2001
Robert Piché's personal website
January 20, 2023
robert, piché, born, november, 1952, canadian, pilot, august, 2001, captain, airbus, a330, flying, transat, flight, managed, land, aircraft, safely, azores, after, lost, power, fuel, exhaustion, january, 2023, update, this, remains, record, glide, length, comm. Robert Piche born November 5 1952 is a Canadian pilot On August 24 2001 he was captain of the Airbus A330 flying Air Transat Flight 236 and managed to land the aircraft safely in the Azores after it lost all power due to fuel exhaustion As of January 2023 update this remains a record glide length for a commercial aircraft in non powered flight Piche and his co pilot were later assigned partial responsibility for the incident despite not being responsible for the improper maintenance that led to the fuel exhaustion Robert PicheBorn 1952 11 05 November 5 1952 age 70 Quebec City QuebecNationalityCanadianOccupationPilotKnown forAir Transat Flight 236 Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Airline career 3 Emergency landing 4 In popular culture 5 References 6 External linksEarly life and education EditPiche grew up in Quebec s Gaspe Peninsula and learned to fly as a teenager In 1973 he graduated from CEGEP de Chicoutimi with a college diploma in aircraft piloting citation needed Airline career EditAfter graduation he worked for regional airlines until he was laid off by Quebecair After being laid off he worked odd jobs which consisted of smuggling marijuana to the United States by plane 1 Beginning in November 1983 Piche served 16 months of a 5 year sentence in prison after a plane he landed solo at a small airfield in the state of Georgia was found to be full of marijuana smuggled from Jamaica He was released on March 20 1985 He was pardoned in 2000 and is considered fully rehabilitated 2 In 1995 at the age of 43 Air Transat hired Piche He rose rapidly from co pilot to captain on the Lockheed L 1011 TriStar and transitioned to the Airbus A330 in the spring of 2000 3 On October 1 2017 Piche flew his last commercial flight He retired from commercial flying after piloting TS605 from Rome to Montreal Although this was his last commercial flight his very last flight for Air Transat took place on October 12 2017 when he flew C GKTS an A330 300 on a sightseeing flight from Montreal over Quebec City and back to Montreal The flight was a fundraiser for his foundation La Fondation Robert Piche which helps fund programs dedicated to helping people with drug and alcohol addictions citation needed Emergency landing EditMain article Air Transat Flight 236Piche is best known for performing a deadstick landing of an Airbus A330 C GITS in the Azores in 2001 He glided the Airbus A330 longer than any commercial aircraft in history and landed at an airport on a remote island with limited navigation instruments He was able to successfully land the plane with only 8 blown tires with only a few injuries among the crew and 306 passengers 2 4 In a response to a reporter s question regarding heroism Mr Piche stated I don t consider myself a hero sir I could have done without this 3 Canada s other successful landing of a fuel starved aircraft was Air Canada Flight 143 the Gimli Glider in 1983 2 and Vanity Fair mentioned Piche s flight when it covered the successful water landing of US Airways Flight 1549 3 The Azores Glider at Toronto Pearson International Airport in 2016The primary cause of the incident was improper maintenance caused by an incorrect part installed in the hydraulics system resulting in the fuel leak However the final investigation also assigned the flight crew partial responsibility for failing to detect the fuel situation earlier Review of the Cockpit Voice Recorder showed that the pilot failed to use the main procedural checklist when attempting to rectify the imbalance of fuel between the tanks which might have prevented the extent of the fuel leak on one side The pilot also transferred fuel from the working engine to the failing engine which magnified the crisis 2 3 Despite this Piche was praised by media and was celebrated as a hero especially in Quebec where he remains a popular speaker Experienced pilots praise the captain for not panicking or trying to make a sea landing 5 In 2002 Piche was awarded the Superior Airmanship Award by the Air Line Pilots Association in recognition of his extraordinary skill in successfully executing the dead stick landing of an Airbus A330 6 In popular culture EditThe story of Robert Piche is depicted in the 2010 Canadian biographical drama film Piche The Landing of a Man Piche Entre ciel et terre FR culminating with the events on Flight 236 Captain Piche is portrayed by both Michel Cote and his son Maxime LeFlaguais Piche is also portrayed in the television series Mayday in its episode Flying on Empty References Edit Han Ha Tu October 19 2004 Transat pilot flying high in popular opinion The Globe and Mail Retrieved December 19 2020 a b c d Crossette Barbara September 10 2001 Jet Pilot Who Saved 304 Finds Heroism Tainted The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 3 February 2011 a b c d Langewiesche William June 2009 US Airways Flight 1549 Anatomy of a Miracle vanityfair com Retrieved 3 February 2011 Archived copy PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2011 11 25 Retrieved 2011 12 15 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link Robert Piche robertpiche com Retrieved 3 February 2011 Robert Piche Given Award Aero News Network Aero News Network 26 August 2002 Retrieved 10 August 2016 External links EditFinal investigative report for Air Transat Flight 236 Jet Pilot Who Saved 304 Finds Heroism Tainted New York Times September 10 2001 Robert Piche s personal website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Robert Piche amp oldid 1130332857, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
