Engine Spooling Question
I am an engineer and not a pilot. Some interesting similarities to this incident and the LH44 incident. In both cases you realize how vulnerable planes are to changing wind conditions at less than 50' AGL. Also (in my opinion) in the case of LH44 the FCS failed them as soon as one wheel hit the ground because that sequenced the FCS logic from Flight Mode to Ground Mode, which limited pilot control of the plane.
1. Does anyone think that FCS transition from Flight Mode to Ground Mode upon wheel touchdown could have been a factor here?
2. Should they have moved the throttles from CLB before they touched down? The FMS told them to. If they had moved the throttles to IDLE would everything have been OK? How does that jive with #4 below?
3. Like LH44 both pilots were trying to fly the plane which just seems wrong to me, but as a previous poster mentioned probably impossible to overcome from a psychological standpoint when something is going wrong.
4. Can I ask a naive question? How does one keep the engines spooled up on approach without getting lots of thrust and having to deal with that in a situation were you don't want that trust unless you need it. I.E. how do you avoid being behind what Naval Fighter pilots call the power curve, nice chart from user IGh below.