Sad accident. Very interesting exchanges on the subject, it seems, as often, without thinking of course it is the only cause for the crash, that the pilots underestimated the slipperiness (??? english?) of this runway, recently re-asphalted.
Concerning the A320 which I have flown for a few years, I was never afraid of it, but I certainly found it the most exacting plane to fly in a rather long aviation life:
Although serious and curious, I can tell that I never really understood how it worked.I knew what was in the books, but that was really little, compared to previous generation aircraft. I found that it was very easy to make mistakes, using the automatisms, and that a go-around, for example, with both engines working, a light plane (like the A318) and a level-off at two thousand feet can, will, be a sobering experience. When you have someone in the jumpseat, he is a little surprised! The variometre (climb rate indicator) is a sad joke, and when associated with a T-cas alert, the small needle disappearing you don't know where, aerobatics are in sight...
But all that said, if you are not over-confident and treat it with the respect you show to a depressive pitbull, it serves you well.
And I forgot...it can be fitted with a Head Up Display. We had it for some years before gradually it disappeared (cost versus un demonstrated efficiency: the management only saw the seldom used possibility of taking off with very low RVR, but we saw a wonderful tool for visual approaches).I see that my company has become wise and will have the HUD on the A380. If you have a HUD, as a captain, you will know without any doubt wether the landing is feasible or not...and take the decision.
Last edited by NARVAL; 4th Jun 2008 at 18:14.