AF447

[singpilot]

Do y'all remember a post by me several pages ago about how (aerodynamically) clean most airliners are?

That when heavy (and even when not), they will accellerate happily to MMO and beyond with a 'mild' pitch excursion (or an expedited descent, perhaps along with a temp change/wind shear/shift)?

Look at the data from the DC-8 'dive'..... 5 degrees of nose down pitch.....

This in a 1960's DC-8 at high altitude.


So now, put yourself near performance cruise ceiling, at night, at cruise, and get distracted by..... anything. Forget WX, AltLaw, DirLaw, all the rest.

Find yourself hand flying a perfectly normal airplane. That's not a stretch.

5 degrees nose down is not far away. How long did it take to get to the surface? More than 5 degrees nose down.... That's not a stretch.

I'm just saying, I know how easily it gets fast.

Now put back in what we do know. AltLaw, DirLaw. WX. Possibly missing/faulty info displayed.

Not pretty.