At 50ft you dont have time to use common sense. With zero reaction time at 50ft if the pilot initiates a go around the B737 will still loose 30ft. If you allow common sense to prevale sooner or later an accident will occur when the common sense is in the wrong, hense we have SOPs that have been thought of in the cold light of day. Hense we have the V1 call and there is no common sense allowed there....
Along these lines the FO when no reply is made at 50ft (because of incapacitation would look over, see the Capt had collapsed decide mmm well I think I will be ok, look out adjust to the new visual picture, (since the have been on the instruments all the approach) and land safely? I think not...no time for that hense the SOP we have of doing a immediate go around should there be no response.
Should the FO continue and land he/she is doing so in conditions that the have never experienced before. They have not been taught to land the aircraft in Cat III vizibility with low lateral vizability and control it on the ground.
And as regard to the poor capt...what happens to the poor 189+ passengers should you bugger it up?
As for doing a go around and diverting you are diverting to a Cat I or better field and into conditions that you have been taught to deal with. All FOs should be able to handle a Go Around and diversion into Cat I conditions but have probably NEVER landed in Cat III as PF
Last edited by batty; 13th Oct 2004 at 16:16.