Originally Posted by
pilotmike
So are you suggesting that the only reason both aircraft became uncontrollable and crashed is DIRECTLY BECAUSE the pilots attempted to counter MCAS with trim inputs, albeit insufficient?
Yes, that is right. A few months ago, a poster who seemed to have a lot of insider knowledge of MCAS explained its workings. Everything he said appears to have been correct.
Yes, they could have simply flown the plane with 2.6 units out-of-trim. MCAS does not repeat after its initial activation unless one of these things happen:
1) Pilots use MET.
2) The autopilot is successfully engaged.
3) The sensed AOA drops below the activation value and MCAS unwinds the trim it previously applied.
Only #1 was a factor in both accident flights.
From the Final Report, section 2.5.1.2.4:
To recover, the flight crew could: 1) stop making manual electric trim inputs (which would stop resetting MCAS),