Just read the report about the 737 Overrun at Darwin Airport and couldn't believe what I was reading.
This report slammed the Captains total lack of adherence to SOP's,the F/O's total lack of assertiveness and Virgin Blues woefully lacking CRM program.
What dissapointed me more than anything else was the fact that when I come to Oz and need a flight quickly
VB always comes to the rescue.
I thought by having alot of ex dispute drivers that the level of experience was high, but reading other postings on this forum about
VB reducing the time required for line training,endorsement costs, shoddy CRM and low time Capt's etc etc that maybe I was wrong.
Any airline can have the occassional incident or overrun but these are typically done in poor weather conditions.
Darwin weather at the time was fine with little wind.
Briefly the main report can be summed up by the following points:
a. Inadequate use of autobrake was used (not questioned by the F/O)
b. The F/O was not adequately briefed for the approach and landing, particularly with respect to the reduced landing length.
To make matters worse this was the F/O's first trip into Darwin!!
c. The approach was rushed with speeds of Vref+40 at 500 agl and Vref + 20 over the threshold (as opposed to +20/+10).
d. A GPWS sink rate warning was given below 500 agl and not actioned by the crew in terms of a go-around.
This was not properly challenged by the F/O - (amazing!)
A mandatory go-around should have been commanded.
e. Besides the non-compliance of the Capt to report this incident with CASA,the aircraft flew another 10 sectors before
VB issued a mandatory maintenance inspection of the aircraft for damage.
f. The time taken to send the Flight Data Recorder in for analysis was three days.This period was too long and deemed unacceptable.
Finally the thing that blew me away was the fact that when talking to a few mates (Captains) with
VB they reackon they must have gone sick on the day of a CRM course because they have never attended one!
The other mate reackoned he went to one, but it was treated as a joke because they couldnt fail the course!
The other cruncher from the CASA report quoted "The first officer should have commanded a go-around when the approach was unstable at 500 feet.Unfortunately the phrase "Captain, you must listen to me " or a phrase similar hs not been covered in Virgin Blue CRM courses"............bloody amazing!
All in all I would way that I have personally changed my opinion of
VB for the forseeable future until a Flight Ops Quality Assurance program (as recommended by CASA) is actually implemented.
Till then although cheap fares are offered and some outstanding aviators I know fly there, I would still regard them on the whole as amature hour.
Sorry guys and girls, but the facts have spoken for themselves.
Trust me - CX/SQ/QF/BA all have their problems but they at least appear to have a better safety/CRM culture and accountability for the reporting of incidents etc.
With the up and coming CASA Safety Audit I believe
VB ought to lift their game and take the audit seriously because alot of changes in both personnel and procedures will result.