Originally Posted by FirstStep
Are there times that the commanded thrust won't match thrust-lever position on Airbuses?
Yes, but I don’t see it at being an issue in this case. After takeoff checklist was completed, thrust reduction altitude was passed, thrust levers were most probably in the climb detent commanding thrust climb, the target altitude was 15000 feet.
I believe the situation brought some precipitation in the urgency to do something, 3000 feet is really nothing, A checklist was called and the FO had a lot of reading to do in that checklist, there was not much time to calmly analyse the engine parameters, so, as incongruous it may appear, they end up applying a procedure to restart engines that were actually running.
The Captain had already so much to do with the aviate navigate communicate, which he did fantastically under tremendous pressure. The decision to go for the ditching was anything but simple to take especially for the period of the year.
It is possible that exploiting the maximum of what was still available in those engines, the rate of descent would have been somehow reduced and Captain Sullenberger could have been tempted to have a go to Teterboro … But then it is a very risky situation as well, he succeeds and every body leaves by the stairs, he fails and it is catastrophic.
Overall, I think they did so well the way they did.