Originally Posted by
Tangan
Incorrectly set stab trim and zero flap are two items which will cause the takeoff warning horn to sound when takeoff thrust is applied. Even an inexperienced crew would surely react to that.
However has anyone thought of the possibility that the inexperienced co-pilot selected the flap up after takeoff instead of retracting the gear?
Doing so would result in an increase in the stall speed, unwanted drag from the gear, a high nose attitude annd AoA and accordingly massively reduced climb ability. Now with the flaps up and the autopilot off, the MCAS would be active and would trim the nose down, the stick shaker stall, “don’t sink” warnings would be sounding to add more confusion.
Both of these have been done.
Personally, I knew someone who had inadvertently retracted the flaps one step instead of gear retraction. Luckily they were doing a F5 takeoff and got away with it. A F1 takeoff is a different story without the LED's.
The counterpoint is the F1 "gate", making it more difficult retract the flaps one step with a simple motion, it would be a little more awkward and is there to ensure that 1 Eng inop go-around is F15 ---> F1, rather than straight through to Flap 5.
Even an inexperienced crew would surely react to that.
Which raises the second point. The FCTM says if doing an inadvertent flapless takeoff, extend the flaps to 1. Once again the gate can be a stumbling block. In the real world, someone missed the fact that the flaps were up before hitting TOGA, takeoff config warning sounded and decided to extend the flaps. That little gate caused some grief, but at least they managed to get F1 extended. Again they got away with it, but not such a good outcome for one of them in the subsequent washup.