I have just read the entire thread and can't believe the variety of comments from a group of professional drivers. (hint!) We all have embarked on this passion for the simple reason that we LOVE THE THRILL. If CPA had never spent so much time and $ having the said video removed from the WWW then many in the world would be none the wiser. Can't help but think that there was a bigger agender here. (not an employee either) Not sure how much the CP was loved or hated but have a listen to yourselves people. If he was close to the end then it was probably pre-meditated and the consequences thought about. Agreed that even a fleet specialist (TRE/TRI or whatever) was unlikely to disagree with the CP but hey lets think about it.
Put yourself in his/her situation. On the CP theme then well good on him. We can all be safe in our positions and carry out all the SOP's and the like's but this situation was not necessarily a 'line flight' situation. If any of you naysayers can't seperate a standard line flight from a more unusual delivery/test/verification etc etc flight then you have lost the collective plot. When all CPA drivers are quizzed then they may collectively agree that it may not have been the best call but hey, it looked SH*T hot then good. People must remember some of the fundamental reasons why they got involved in this business.
Even if the CP has been sacked he will not be without legend and a job. Check the job pages ATM. There was nothing unsafe about the manouvre (from an aeronautical design engineer), and if they wanted the story suppressed then they should have a new
PR outfit.
All these comments about birdstrike and the like well, HELLO, what do several million aircraft on this planet do every time , every minute, of every day and night risk when they are taking off or landing?
Cathay at the end of the day (if they had clever spin doctors ) could have turned this into a clever marketing piece and then I and all and sundry wouldn't be sitting here arguing about whether it was a smart or dumb idea.
The whole idea about the Cathay image falls to pieces for several reasons, namely: anyone who is aware of the history and good record of the airline will not hesitate to buy a ticket now, then , or any time in the future, the public actually are impressed by such actions that they think, "gee those pilots know their stuff", no-one in this part of the world even heard anything in mainline news about the event (nothing to do with CPA) because there are far more important news events happening, this whole thread is not read or known to exist by 99.9999% of the worlds population (specifically ticket buying punters) .
This whole beat up about a beat up is exactly that. A BEAT UP. All who are professional about their flying jobs either in the Fragrant Harbour or anywhere else on the globe have to appreciate that when you go to work you do the righty, when you have an opportunity to have a bit of fun then you take advantage of it. Ask yourselves , when have YOU done something that's not quite (maybe) within the SOP's or acceptable standards and you've just gone - to hell with it because no-one will either know or SEE? Anyone who thinks that they aare in neither category is kidding themselves!
Adios amigos