Originally Posted by
PerPurumTonantes
Valid in a normal out of trim situation. But when an automatic system is actively pushing trim nose down to that extent? Repeatedly? And the only way to fix the problem (MCAS) is to switch out the solution (elec trim) as well? Yes this is test pilot territory.
As far as defeating the MCAS input, the ONLY thing required of the Captain was to trim the aircraft normally.
The yoke trim switch will trump MCAS every single time. He did not need the strength of his arms, he only need the strength of this left thumb.
Yes, MCAS will try again after a 5-second delay, but that motion would have been stopped as easily as the first -
if the Captain had simply applied normal trim technique. He could have done this all day long, and MCAS never would have driven the stab to an unrecoverable position. At some point, after tiring of this back and forth, one of the pilots could then have disabled MCAS by using the trim cutout switches.
No, this is most definitely not test pilot territory. This isn't even commercial pilot territory.
Trimming the elevator/stab to relieve control pressures is private pilot territory. Heck, we even expect this level of skill from a student pilot before they are cleared solo!
Set the pitch, set the power, check the performance, and trim. That is all that was required to get this aircraft safely away from the ground.