Seems like the authorities in Brazil are gradually backing away from the legal penalty approach, but being slow about it in deference to their internal politics. One can imagine that it helps un-blame the officials and government-employed parties involved in ATC ops if the blame is 'shared' with these very visible pilot outsiders for the time-being.
At some point the authorities will likely determine there is 'not sufficient evidence' to conduct a successful trial, thereby backing out for the last and final step while maintaining some atmosphere of ambiguity as to which parties are actually at fault. **
Not very satisfying for the pilots, but far better than the firing squad.
** and if not, I am sure the flying fraternity will chip in to help send an army of fast-talking, hard biting lawyers there from Philly, DC, Dallas and SF to ream the accusers out as American litigators so skillfully can do.
Last edited by arcniz; 8th Dec 2006 at 22:23.
Reason: footie