From the FR24 data it looks like the B-738 initially climbed to 10700 meters (FL351). They then
did the Rapid D high dive down to 3300 (or perhaps 3000) meters (FL108) and then climbed back up to 7500 meters (FL246) and then 8100 meters (FL266) before starting the descent into Dalian.
Pictures of the rubber jungle and 'air safety expert' analysis in this SCMP article:
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...-25000-feet-10
It's been a while but I've sure seen pilots try some odd pack and recirc fan tricks to try to hide smoking in the cockpit on larger planes. However, these days if you try any non-standard systems configurations a fault message goes back to headquarters and you'll get a message to call flight ops when you land.
Originally Posted by
akaSylvia
I'm much less concerned about the smoking in the cockpit and more concerned that they appeared to be pushing buttons randomly to find out what they do!
These knobology failures are nothing new, for example:
American Trans Air had a decompression incident on the 727 in the 1990s where the cabin altitude warning horn went off on climbout and the captain noticed that one of the packs was off. He told the FE to do something about that pack. The FE complied and turned the other pack off as well. Captain and FE passed out yelling at each other, the FO got his mask on and saved the day.
In 1987 a Delta captain somehow confused square buttons with round knobs and shut off both engines on a 767 out of LAX. He got the motors started and they pressed on to CVG where salt spray was rinsed off the plane prior to the next leg to LGA. The square buttons were subsequently relocated far away from the round knobs to prevent a reoccurrence. The captain was relocated away from the Delta flight deck as well.