After spending some time pondering about this, there is one thing that is trying to come out in this thread,
we all need to stand on our ground before we are put into it 
. Not to say that the crew of ZS-OLD didn't, we can't say anything as to what happend in the cockpit or what led up to the event untill all info is brought to light if there is anything to be brought out. My deepest thoughts go out to those who went west.
More and more companys are looking at pilots as bus drivers and this has to stop. The mind set grows as more and more as flights are successful and you return to your beds to start another flight the next day. While Managment counts the money and get pats on the backs for a job well done. Then the cycle starts all over again. I have had many days where not just myself but other pilots are being told to launch by some one who has not been there or done that, remember we as pilots have all bought the T-shirt and are still wearing it. Do you really want to be buried in it? Grant it that there are pilots that will fly with the mentallity that nothing is going to happen
. Well things do and this set off everyone into speculating and mud slinging. lets take a back seat look at this.
The managment have to be tought that what we do is inharently dangerous and we are trained as risk and emergency managers. We as pilots have to tell them that there is reasons to not take a flight or not.
It really boils down to how much $$$ can be made using us as the "bus driver". When a bus breaks down, pull to the side of the road and call road service. Everyone can understand what I am talking about and I hope that those that don't check yourself into a mental hospital if you fly.
About those Gwiz equipment that everyone is talking about, when flying the US Vans for ASI there was no TWAS. When in the US all of them are installed and yes they have saved lives including mine. Let alone the TCAS. There are a lot of wonderful tools out there but the owner/operators of them refuse to install them due to cost of product, maintence and God forbid the trainging. Right now with the company I fly with are aircraft are capable of GPS approaches but the companys feels that four or five hours of trianing for use is too much to spend
.
If you all want to see the cool things that are coming out and of course are high in the $$$ range but would most likely keeps us safe and alive check out
YouTube - Night Landing in Aspen Colorado. This little guy can not only see in the dark but also threw the clouds. In Congo, a must. But lets see how long it would take.
V1...Ooops. I have to hand it to you that your words of wisdom is something that we need to find ourselves and practice it and fine tune it to bring us back to our familys.
My final thought, lets not be seen as bus drivers but as professional pilots who know when to launch and when to sit together. When devided we fall, together we stand. Best wishes and best of luck to all the bros I miss in the deep dark DRC.
HSIop