mac the knife,
Is this supposed to be some kind of defense?
These highly paid pilots are expected to be able to handle such situations with ease. Ok so wow, they had to fly in the middle of the night, over the ocean, it was no doubt cold outside and windy and perhaps the seats were so comfortable that they felt sleepy and staring out of a window for hours at blackness is boring. Oh and we must sympathize that flashing lights are just too damn distracting.
Hello? They are supposed to be professionals. If they can't do their duty because of the above factors then they have no place in a cockpit. If i pay 500 euros for a flight i damn well expect the pilots do be competent enough to handle whatever inconveniences or distractions that might occur during their duty. Over 200 lives were lost because it seems the pilots didn't know what to do once the autopilot stopped flying the plane.
Anyone with a little bit of training on simulators can fly an airbus using the autopilot for 99% of the flight including ILS landing. But these pilots are paid for when the **** hits the fan and for their expertise, skills and judgement in those rare situations when the plane doesn't just fly itself for you.
Given what we know thus far, i expect trials will find the pilots criminally negligent and there will be huge compensation for the families.
Last edited by wafelbolletjes; 29th May 2011 at 07:07.