Originally Posted by
jimtx
Rereading some of the TWA 514 stuff reminded me of a pet peeve regarding descents. A few guys had no thought process for descent planning and there we would be in the Andes bouncing along at MEA xxx miles from the airport. Most of us had a plan and when cleared early would request PD or shallow the descent with ATC approval.
A friend of mine flew to South America in the 747. His company policy was no off airways below FL 250 and don't accept either en route or terminal radar vectors.
Remember the EAL 727 that plowed into one of the mountains east of La Paz?