Mate the Sidestick indicator disappears during rotation, not only that it's a little display on the PFD, hardly big enough to "put into your normal scan" during the most important phases of flight ( Vr and the last 200 feet down to touchdown, where you should be eyes up as much as possible, not heads down trying to see where your mate has moved his stick to !! )
I recall a certain A340 incident in JNB where at Vr the PF simply placed the indicator where he thought the Elevator should be!! That little error nearly led to disaster but for the grace of.......
I can categorically state that this has never happened on a conventional Aircraft.
The Airbus is probably ok for those that have very little "flying" experience" but anyone who's ever flown a normal Aircraft will miss this subtle but none the less very important feedback loop.
AB were trying to make a safer Aircraft using these Sidesticks and non moving Throttles but, in my opinion, unfortunately they have in some situations done just the opposite. You need to keep the Pilot in the loop at all times using what he's used to seeing and FEELING as a Pilot.
Now don't get me wrong here, I still enjoy flying the Bus. I actually like the concept of the SS and the Table etc. I just think that they could have easily made it more "natural"
Last edited by nitpicker330; 18th May 2011 at 03:07.