mm43;
Originally Posted by mm43, post #1889
You can argue over the simulated paint colours, but the picture of what was happening should be pretty clear. In my opinion, they were not in "severe turbulence" - more like "light chop" with the occasional "bump".
Yes, I think so. They had the radar on and were using it for diversion around weather and the remarks (call to the F/A's, and the PNF to PF, "...a little to the left" etc) do not convey anything out of the ordinary in terms of weather and expected turbulence. Generally one knows when one is about to be hammered and the words one uses in the cockpit for diversion, and in one's call to caution the F/As are more direct. "Stop the service and I want everyone sitting down" is what might be said to the F/As if one was expecting moderate turbulence or more.
Turbine D, hear you...agree it's weather-related because the pitots iced up but I don't think the weather played any other role in the loss of control. Only thing I would add in response to others' rides through the area is, such weather always changes rapidly and what was for one a turbulent ride with need for wide diversion around buildups can be good ride with light chop twenty minutes later for another.
RWA;
But you'll know much better than I do that airline pilots hate diverting or reducing speed unless they have to, because it means delays.
So I hope that you'll agree that there's little doubt that turbulence was a factor in the early stages of the accident?
PMFJI, but I don't think turbulence played a direct role at all in this accident.
Diverting or reducing speed costs little time and little fuel...perhaps a two, three minutes and a few hundred kilos. Diversions are not 'hated by airline pilots', they are routine operations when/where required. Unless the diversion is for hundreds of miles off course, (done it), a diversion around weather is a non-issue in terms of schedule and fuel.
Notwithstanding sudden surprises, I agree with
mm43 that they likely experienced nothing more than light turbulence.
The vertical and lateral acceleration parameters will tell us soon enough, along with anything said between the PF & PNF that wasn't released in the recent update.