Originally Posted by sensor_validation
BEAs statement is a careful selection of established facts which must have been checked out carefully by legal opinion - so I think I think it is worth looking carefully at the words used - albeit in the English translation - does the French read the same? Maybe reading in too much?
the Captain woke the second co-pilot
Suggesting he was asleep, and could have been for a couple of hours - but within 5 minutes he was in front of the controls as PNF.
He was briefing his replacement 10 minutes prior to the PNF trying to call him to the cockpit.
Captain attended the briefing
that was nice...
It was also about 10 minutes prior to the wakeup call. And you quoted it too disproving your first statement.
... - he could have just said bye? OK a lot more would have been said in the 3 minute handover, but who was Responsible, Accountable, or just Consulted/Involved. (yes management consultant speak - RACI analysis).
Whereas I am only a lowly lifeform known as an engineer. What this appears to plainly say is that the Captain followed proper procedure before leaving the cockpit. (Is there a reason you are altering the time line?)
PF said
we can’t climb much for the moment because the temperature is falling more slowly than forecast" and that "the logon with Dakar failed"
shows he knows near max alt, and not authorized to climb, and that they all knew that.
More proper procedure.
At 2 h 08 min 07 , the PNF said "you can maybe go a little to the left […]".
tentative subservient, he didn't like what he saw ahead.
I am not sure about subservient unless that is something you read from the French. Subservient is not present in the English. He had to suggest as he was not PF. But he was not sniveling about it. He was not sure the radar showed a clear path and could not suggest a better alternative because of too large a deviation or a significant climb.
(I note that this is a place the radio could help - identify flight, location, direction, and planned deviation to all within hearing of the VHF radio. Then do what is really needed. Yeah - me and my radios again.)
From 2 h 10 min 50, the PNF tried several times to call the Captain back.
Repeating a comment in this thread too many pages back. PNF not happy with what PF is doing - but doesn't have authority to question?
Maybe that is YOUR personality, sir. If I were PNF and unhappy I'd bitch and worry about the consequences later. AND I would try to get Captain up front for his good advice. PF is in command. But I reserve the right to bitch and call attention to items that may appear to be forgotten. But then, I am an ugly American.
At around 2 h 11 min 40 , the Captain re-entered the cockpit. The altitude was then about 35,000 ft,
Did they tell the captain that they had been to 38,000 ft and were now on the way down?
Damnifino - that is not in the partial transcript. Could they have recovered if the captain had been instantly right on it? Maybe. That's why I'd voice my concerns over continued climb. I'd be aware. Captain would need a minute or two to come up to speed. (I hope they did not try to swap seats or something like that. I doubt it - PF never handed over to PNF for the captain to swap in safely.
Unless the Captain was really over tired he'd not had time to fall asleep. He probably visited the head and stretched a bit before moving back to his private curtained off area.