Originally Posted by jondc9
Now, "what if" the passengers on the BA 747 had been asked the question:
Shall we continue for a dozen hours with one engine out all the way to England or return right away to Los Angeles?
I am sorry
jondc9 but what a load of nonsense! All this post demonstrates is that you can prove anything you like with a suitably loaded question. You don't visit your GP and then expect him to say "Well, you've got so-and-so, what do you think I should do for you?" You employ a professional to make a professional decision - and that is just what these aviators did.
It is interesting to see that most of the opposition to their decision to continue the flight to London seems to come from those who have either little or no experience of Long Range Operations in 4-engine jets. Within the group who have that experience, there may be some differences of opinion but we should remember that no-one except the crew themselves know all the facts. Most of the more alarmist conjecture about "what might have happened" has come from the least experienced and really serves this thread no useful or constructive purpose.
I have been in similar situations to this crew and, in the circustances as I understand them, I believe they were not unsafe to continue as they did. In my view, those that disagree with this Commander's professional decision to continue the flight need to support that disagreement with similar professional reasoning - not scaremongering - or, with respect, just keep quiet.