Yes, I'm always saddened when innocent people die, no matter what the circumstance.

I've noticed on some airlines that when someone from the flight deck needs to go to the head, a flight attendant will step into the cockpit after the pilot or co-pilot walks out, then she locks the door behind her (it's most usually a "her"). Maybe that's to prevent a situation like this?

The way this is playing out is so disturbing, I'm trying to take a break from news or from reading of it.

I did hear one commentator saying this afternoon though that US pilots aren't permitted to be in the cockpit alone. Not that having a stewardess step in is much insurance if assuming they have less physical strength, and, stewardess's can't fly planes. The suggestion was maybe it should go back to when three pilots were required so there were always two minimum. I wonder if an international standard of psychological testing wouldn't be something to consider too - more, and ongoing, background checks.

That security locking door that has been in place the last few years may need some rethinking at the same time, if the key code entry system can be disabled by whoever is at the controls.

I could be wrong, but its my understanding that the "third" pilot used to be the navigator, no longer required as navigation is pretty much all computerized now.

I stand corrected by MSNBC. The third person in the cockpit was usually a flight engineer who monitored the plane's systems. Very informative discussions regarding safety ongoing.

It's in our paper this morning that effective immediately, all Canadian airlines will have to have 2 crew members in the cockpit at all times. They don't necessarily all have to be licensed pilots, but crew members.

I read that the pilot may have been in a relationship that recently ended.

My heart breaks for all of the families including the parents of the pilot.

Agreed. The parents, siblings, and maybe friends of the co-pilot will be living under a cloud of suspicion for not having "noticed and done something to prevent this tragedy".

No reasonable person would put the parents or friends under a cloud of suspicion.

There could be many explanations for out-of-sorts behavior ,, and most have nothing to do

with mental or emotional illness.

Chances are he was quite functional and showed no signs that something was wrong.

Completely irresponsible to lay this on anyone other than the co-pilot.

Reasonable or not, irresponsible or not, it's reality that the family and loved ones of the perpetrator often become the target of vitriol from the masses in cases like this. The families of Timothy McVeigh, Adam Lanza, Jared Lee Loughner, Eric Harris, Dylan Kiebold, and countless others have felt the sting of blame after the crime. It may or may not be right, but it happens and will happen again in this situation.

Today's news states that the co-pilot was suffering from depression and had been advised by his physician not to work the day he crashed the plane.

Doctor-Patient confidentiality may have stood in the way of preventing this tragedy. Today's reports say the man's doctor said he was not fit to fly, but could/should the doctor have notified the airline?

Even psychiatrist can break patient confidentiality and warn the potential victim(s) if a patient poses a clear danger to others. So, yes, I believe the physician should have notified the airline that the patient was not fit to fly as the welfare of the public outweighs the patient's right to privacy. After all, this patient, as part of his job, had control of a tool that could be used to cause numerous deaths or injuries and millions of dollars in property damage/liability. I imagine the physician is already in the hot seat with investigators for not sounding the alarm.

This story is horrifying to me. I cannot get it out of my head, all the senseless deaths. All of the families that are shattered for eternity because of one selfish POS. I hope he is burning where he belongs. DS lives in Germany, and I was so thankful that I knew he was on the ground. But they have frequently flown Germanwings. I just don't understand the motivation. If you want to die, then die. But don't murder 150 innocent people. I am so saddened and angry by this.

In the latest updates on CNN, they interviewed an 'Airline Psychologist' and she said that the doctor's note that was found in the garbage of the Co-Pilot's home advised that he was "not fit to work." So she is saying that perhaps the doctor didn't know his patient was in fact a commercial Airline pilot, or he may have lied about what he did for a living.

If this is the case, then I would say the bulk of responsibility would lie with the Airline, who should make it mandatory that their flight crew all gets yearly medical exams (which probably is already in place) but with the added necessity that a report must be emailed to the Airline stating simply "This employee does/does not have a medical condition that makes them unfit for work, until further notice." That would put the onus on the employer to ensure that their employees cannot work unless the company receives a yearly affirmation of 'fit to work' for that employee, from the doctor.