To PJ2, post #2484
Re your point 1 – I mean the normal procedure for use of A/T, that is to leave it engaged until the flare and to reduce the T/L’s to idle at the appropriate moment.
I used the term “until touchdown” to distinguish this from an approach where A/T is disconnected, let’s say at 1.200 ft. To pilots, disconnecting at 1.200 ft would constitute a landing with manual thrust, whereas many of our interested bystanders might call it an approach with autothrust.
With regards to SOP’s, I would say that thrust has to be reduced at the appropriate moment – to aid the pilot in this, the aircraft provides a reminder (RETARD) at 20 ft (autopilot off) or 10 ft (A/P on). Leaving the T/L’s in CLB detent too long certainly is inappropriate, because A/T then starts to increase thrust during the flare manoeuvre. When using manual thrust though, it may well happen that the T/L’s hit the idle stop just as the wheels touch the ground, it very much depends on airspeed and wind situation during the flare – on some Greek islands for instance, you can have pretty weird wind effects at very short finals due to wind / obstacle interaction.
Re 2. The autothrust engaged would be a “required factor” for this accident sequence - without A/T, there is no auto spool-up of thrust. With manual thrust, a manual increase of one T/L to CLB position is very unlikely. Whether it is then allowed to call A/T a “causal factor” is more a linguistic matter. The important point is, without A/T engaged, the 3 accidents would not have happened in this way – of course one could interject that, without A/T, who knows, they would have stalled in the turn to final. As for the comparison with, e.g. the NAV lights being ON or OFF, or the aircraft tails being yellow or red, A/T being engaged or not, is vastly more relevant.
What you say about your company’s SOP’s is worrisome – to prohibit the use of manual thrust is crazy. I am glad that in my company, that choice is left to the discretion of the pilot. An advice that A/T is a wonderful thing, a recommendation to use it in manual flight as well, certainly, but the choice is with the pilot!