Originally Posted by
KKoran
diffident,
Why do you think that as a baggage handler "...he would have been familiar with at least the basic operations of the Q400, and most definitely would have been familiar with the cockpit layout and "what bits do what""?
"Russell worked as a member of Horizon’s tow team, Christenson said, and helped handle baggage for the airline.
Two-person tow teams are responsible for moving airplanes on the tarmac. One person drives a tow tug, pulling the plane. The other communicates with the tower from inside the airplane’s cockpit and can apply the plane’s brakes in an emergency, Christenson said.
Tow teams are trained how to use some airplane systems such as the auxiliary power unit, hydraulics and radios, said Christenson, who did not know Russell well."
from the Seattle Times, August 11