Somewhere in the incident report the investigators mentioned the demonstrated certification criteria which BA ignored. It was obviously included for a purpose. My first flight on a BA classic was DH to Nairobi to pick up a VC10, after the Concorde lounge, first class dinner and some more sherbert my head hit the pillow to be stirred by a rumbling through the airframe somewhere over Africa as an engine went bang..we turned around and flew home.
From my early days including Hamble, I’ve been appalled at the blame someone else and cover up mentality in aviation. One of my first instructors was involved in the prosecution of Glen Stewart (?) of the Heathrow flypast fame who committed suicide after being hung out to dry. It would never had happened if an illegal dispensation for the approach had been authorised by a BA manager. My first solo I got into a PIO as I hadn’t been taught what to do with a bounce by said instructor, a real Walter Mitty character.
This then BA culture goes back to BEA and the Munich disaster, through Staines, Manchester.......
The fact is that the engine had failed, there was unknown damage and the crew had no way of ascertaining the potential consequences of continued flight; they took an unnecessary risk which the FAA didn’t condone. They weren’t the brightest as they didn’t understand the fuel system and got into a panic it would seem on approach into Manchester. They didn’t do any favours to the reputations of the profession.
Last edited by blind pew; 17th Nov 2021 at 04:50.