Salute
tjernagel!
The crash was not a simple loss of AoA that the crew was using to fly or a vital input to a fly-by-wire system such as the Airbus 320 and following versions. As much as it is touted, the 777, the early F-18 and such were nowhere near FBW than the Airbus, shuttle, or the Viper I flew long ago.
It's a flight test airplane... Its used to verify the "real" systems during the flight test program.
Correct, but who did the crew verification of the "real" MCAS during the flight test and have one test point where the AoA was off the wall and the plane kept commanding nose down? Not "runaway trim", because you could beep the trim and the system stops commanding nose down for 5 or 6 seconds, then whaaahoo.
I will try to return to my cave for awhile, but a point or two.
- I cannot imagine a new system in a new mod of an old plane that has the potential to make the plane go nose down without pilot consent and without some kinda warning light that the new system is active. Stick shaker? Yes. Some kinda restricttion on commanding further nose up? Sure. But commanding nose down over and over without some kinda signal that something was awry? I don't wanna fly that beast as a pilot or SLF.
- I cannot imagine the system above not being made very public to all pilots and carriers using the plane. GASP!! Without the AoA aspect as a contributing cause to this crash, how come all pilots flying the type did not know a new system was installed and what its purpose was and how it worked. Sheesh.
Gums sends...