JuggleDan wrote: Thanks for the link. Too bad Google translate gives rubbish there, but I'm confident the the info shall be translated into another language soon.
As requested, I'll try to paraphrase what German magazine "Spiegel online" reported. Here's the original link:
Interner Bericht: Hohe Absturzquote bei Airbussen von Air France - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten - Wirtschaft
"High Crash Rate with Air France Airbuses", the headline claims. The report cites "secret calculations" supplied by "aviation sources". AF Airbus aircraft "crash more than average" - meaning Airbus fleet at other operators. It says AF Airbus fleet has a hull loss rate of 1,26 aircraft per one million flights. Average would be 0,3 per million. Of 19 Airbus planes that crashed since 1988, three were Air France and one Air Inter, now an AF subsidiary.
Those numbers, the report claims, add momentum to the debate about possible pilot errors being a factor with AF447. A "Figaro" interview with Gourgeon is qouted where the AF chief rejects speculations the AF447 crew might have flown right into the storm in order to save fuel and avoid delays
The "Spiegel" piece cites a three year old "internal AF report" that allegedly criticizes "insufficient security culture" at the French carrier. The report is quoted: AF is missing "a clear and objective view of achievements in aviation security" (my translation of a German translation of what was possibly a french source, so take with a grain of salt). Eight out of ten AF incidents were caused by human factor, the report is indirectly quoted, like insufficient attention, bad decision making processes and faulty Cpt/FO teamwork.
Analysis of A330/340 incidents supposedly has shown that Captains tend to show "a certain amount of over-confidence or even smugness", the report is further quoted (again, my possibly-lost-in-translation-disclaimer applies).
According to "Spiegel online", AF claims to have addressed these issues since the report was presented in June 2006. Still, AF/KLM Group Chief Jean-Cyril Spinetta is said to have told investors last week that AF is aware of its bad security record (wording by "Spiegel online", not a direct quote).