It's clear from reading the pilots on this thread that the universal consensus on smoke is to get the plane on the ground as soon as possible. It makes perfect sense, regardless the number of crew aboard. With that said, I have a question that has been eating at me since this accident occurred.
My understanding is that this plane experienced smoke whilst some 200nm from Dubai, with proper runways all around for diversions, the crew elected to press on back to Dubai. I'm almost certain these two aviators also were aware of the ticking clock once smoke is noticed, but nevertheless chose a much lower percentage route. My question is simply why?
Is it wrong to wonder exactly what it was being transported in that B744, and why it needed to get back to Dubai even at the expense of two lives and a $200 million dollar jet? Could these two pilots have both gone against conventional aviation wisdom and made a tandem bad decision with almost negative odds in their favor? That doesn't make much sense to me.