PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Air Transat - "Panic in the Cockpit" recording
Old 2nd Sep 2008, 20:53
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tubby linton
 
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I never flew the 310 but I have lots of time in the 306.The warning in the background is probably the aural stall warning.In the 306 it is called the crickets and has a different sound.I cannot think of anything else which would have induced the level of panic in the pilots voice.When the old bus gets close to the stall it goes into alpha floor and full power is automatically applied.This power increase has a pitch coupling which initially increases the nose up attitude.
If the incident took place at 3000 ft above ground the windshear warning would not be working.It has on some aircraft a voice announcing "windshear" and the word windshear appears on the pfd.
He was probably hand flying as when the aircraft approaches a stall the autopilot drops out with its associated warnings,yet we do not hear the autopilot disconnect.
I have frequently seen a FAC failure on the aircraft which removes a lot of the information on the speed tape and the flight director bars disappear.The cause usually is an Angle of attack vane problem.You just have to fly a sensible pitch and N1 until you can hand over control and select alternate systems.
The A300/310 family are a hybrid of 1970s aeroplane and 1980s computers,and I am constantly vigilant for any unexpected malfunction.My colleagues joke that we go in the sim every six months for a rest!The aircraft is like a woman-neglect to pay her enough attention and she will bite you badly
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