but when it comes to judgment calls, where it's one bad choice vs another bad choice...then the variables for those choices come into play..the more we know the more we understand, the best we can make a good decision.
.. and that is why the discussions are so important.
Stimulating and provocative thoughts held by any individual need to be put on the table for other folk to contemplate. There needs to be vigorous discussion so that the new chums get a bit more depth than the typical ATPL course and endorsment program.
he will stop in X feet
That's not actually how it works and that was the point of my earlier comment.
Accel-stop test data is not real world (as those who have been involved with such testing would understand) and ought only to be viewed as (a little bit worse than) brick wall data for line operations.
Put it this way .. the first performance landing tests for which I was along in the aircraft caused me more than a touch of anxiety. To suggest that Joe Bloggs, line pilot, is going to reproduce the TP's performance .. is arrant nonsense and indicates a lack of familiarity with what goes on. By the time the test program is finished and TP/FTE/aerodynamicists have played with the results, the TP will be hard pressed to replicate the final averaged data.
I can guarantee that 5 knots faster is not some magic wall you have crossed where you go from 100% reliability to 100% failure. It doesn't work that way.
I am not too sure about guarantees in performance .. statistics is the name of the game and that only delves into probabilities, not guarantees. However, of course it is not a "switch on, switch off" situation. The problem, though, is that the line pilot doesn't have any real understanding as to just where the good starts to get bad ... hence the need to be mindful of SOPs.
Now maybe stalling speeds are somewhat aerodynamically absolute.....
Not really the case - one needs to define the conditions with a degree of precision to get a particular number for a given aircraft
the VMO numbers you get have a 50 kt buffer with a big g force pull back..
Vmo is a little bit different to most other limits and probably is not pertinent to this thread's discussion
if you have the runway to stop,
Therein lies the difficulty in respect of making that determination on many occasions
but are willing to fly a burning wreck through the air because you feel your brakes will fail, because your 5 kts over V1, I don't agree.
It all comes down to a question of what data and knowledge the pilot has .. considering that that pilot WILL be asked at the enquiry to justify his/her decision (assuming he/she lives to tell the tale). Methinks you are intent on needlessly dramatising the situation for effect ?