Our cabin crew are taught that after an aircraft has come to a stop they are go to their assigned exit, assess external conditions for fire, etc and 'WAIT' for the evacuation command from the Flight deck crew. It is emphasised to the c/c that the time taken to complete shut down checks may vary between different a/c types and that they are to use crowd control techniques in order to prevent pax pressurising them into evacuating prematurely, or attempting to open the exits themselves, before the engines are shut down.
I am lead to believe that, for example, older generation boeings eg B757 take less time to complete shut down check lists than the flybywire a/c?
C/C are actively encouraged to communicate as much information as possible to the F/D during ANY emergency situation. Any C/C member initiating an evacuation without attempting to contact the Cpt would be diverting from SOP's. One can however never say never and a get out clause is provided. ALL aircrew 'may modify standard procedures for the best safety advantage.' But they had better be able to justify the reasons afterwards!
411, whilst agreeing with the theortical side of your argument, I also agree with others that your approach to CRM leaves a lot to be desired. It pains me to say that you remind me of the Cpt at Kegworth (Hunt?) who was so unapproachable the c/c apparently would not have dared to question that he knew which engine was on fire? CRM has been developed specifically to address problems and attitudes such as this/yours. No doubt, with your usual 'candour' your rebuttal will be swift, well worded and patronising to the extreme. It changes not the fact that, though you appear to think otherwise, yet another window has been smashed in that glass house of yours.
