Originally Posted by sky9
Pilot Pete
You summed up the situation exactly. It really is about time that pilots started viewing their action with the thought in the front of their minds "What would I tell the accident investigator".
Well, if there is a fatality, it is a scene of crime, so start with what are you going to tell the police. Then the accident investigators might be able to interview you. Then you will be interviewed by the court in the manslaughter proceedings, public enquiry, coroner's inquest etc. Oh, and your employer's insurance company and their lawyers are going to be pretty interested too, as they have to pay for it.
I have observed, as a passenger in a Ryanair aircraft, being loaded in a thunderstorm across an open ramp, and then taking off when the runway was flooded. What was wrong with that? Well the airport had no method of being able to tell the pilot of the depth of water and of the braking action. I know, I had just finished asking such questions of ATC/airport operator. Was it a good decision? Well, if the crew had factored in the loss of lift from the high rate of rainfall, and had taken into account the rejected take-off stopping distances for decision speeds as well as the additional tyre drag for acceleration, then OK. Was I comfortable, NO.
There are huge problems in relation to the application of Annex 3,11 and 14 to modern aircraft operations. ATC might not have the power to stop an aircraft from going, but the airport operator does, in such weather conditions. The airport operator may decide to close the airport.
Is taking a look in a vehicle a good idea, yep, why not? Should it be the only basis of decision making, no. The aircraft operator is required to audit the airport. Therefore, the company should have decided under what conditions of slush depth (where no Mu meter reliable readings can be taken from certain types of apparatus) and so on, were acceptable. All that the aircraft commander has to do is to look up the airport specific table, compare the facts and the criteria and make a decision.
Do the airlines provide you with the criteria? Do they provide you with
practical slush assessment training on your ATPL theory courses? Does your safety management system state where you have individual responsibility and where the company has responsibility in this area? If you are unsure in this area, then you might have difficulty in the event of an accident.