autoland
Thank all for your attention.
I am proud that I am attracting some very valuable opinion in this highly respected forum.
The question is not to eliminate the crew or minimize the paramount importance of the Human factor in the Cockpit. The point is to have an alerting system that can communicate not only recording (FDR). A system that alert the pilots first “Hey I’am going to send a transponder distress call if you don’t correct this emergency!”
Ecam Action (in the Airbus) for instance.
Unfortunately and tragically this incident is also paying the price of the post 911 “safety” measures. The crew was sealed inside the cockpit and nobody after the barometric deployment of the pax oxygen mask had the idea to question the crew..!!!” Hallo Captain everything is ok there? “ Before 911 the door was open or accessible..
Is too stupid to die in this way to accept this kind of chain event. The crew probably run out oxygen first many assume. In Cathay Pacific Pilots check 2 times the regular flow of oxygen in the quik donning mask . Then the flight crew fail to asses the emergency, then for 15 20 minutes the entire supply of oxygen ran out by the passengers and no emergency descend occurred.
Flying with one pack inoperative is not a imitating factor bud a contributing factor would say FAA in an old aircraft with pressurization problem history I would have plan /request a lower cruising altitude and double check my OXY supply system twice.
Now news are reporting that somebody at the control disengaged the autopilot and tried to fly the plane ..without distress call? I guess the low fuel or the double flameout did in fact disconnected the autopilot and the plane left as result the holding pattern with only one final destination...
What I hope is that in the future we will be protected by what all pilots always say in impossible to occur (double incapacitation) they even eat different food at different time…So is such event when pressure cabin emergency occur and no emergency descend is initiated the FDR or the ECAM instruct the FMC to send a distress message or via transponder or put the plane direct into dive regardless the MCP settings to an hold at 10,000 some were in the database were is safe to fly.
How long will take an F16 to intercept that plane and make a visual inspection? Less than 20 minutes ?
Then if the ECAM (I mention knowing that 737 doesn’t have one) detect no action whatsoever by the crew automatically the “system” assume that nobody is in control in a cabin pressure emergency therefore: DOWN !!
Please don’t tell me that is rocket science or holliwood mentality.