Originally Posted by
helonorth
To me, taking out the SAS in that situation is a horrible idea to all but those that have been trained for it.
!
Pressing the FTR button just deselects attitude hold for the time you hold it (in the accident PF‘s case, the whole time). SAS is still there and unless you‘re whipping the llama‘s ass, controlled attitude changes are not difficult at all. Release the button; attitude held.
Given the paucity of light, I think they would have been better off with a pad departure rather than trying a running take-off from the runway, which is not a published CAT procedure and might well end up with the same poorly defined power and attitude constellations that got these guys in trouble.
G-LBAL - thanks for the correction FNW