From a "tourist" PoW (me), the BEA report is not as harsh against pilots than it could be. But, if you "read between the lines", it seems (to me, imho), to reflect some kind of sideration at what BEA people discovered by reading CVR and flight data. Is the final wording more politically correct than it may have been? Have the Air France "leaks" they will buy Boeings, just few days after the black boxes been read (see for example:
Air France urged to back Airbus in plane order: Thomson Reuters Business News - MSN Money), something to do with this too kind wording? Some extracts gave my attention (non professional, non pilot, just interested):
One of the co-pilots (the PF) seems to have an altitude "obsession":
- Around 1H45 (p.74): "
le copilote propose de demander à monter au niveau 360 non standard" (the co-pilot suggested asking for a climb at non-standard level 360).
- Just after 1H52 (p.75): "
Le copilote attire de nouveau l’attention du commandant de bord sur la valeur du REC MAX, qui atteint alors le FL 375." (The first officer again draws the attention of the captain on the MAX REC value, which then reaches the FL 375.). Is this not a remark to obtain a climb permission? The captain didn't comment.
- Around 2H00 (
p.9, p.51 et p.75): "
malheureusement on ne peut pas trop monter pour l’instant" (unfortunately we can not climb for now): briefing between two co-pilots
- Just after the Captain left (p.75): "
Les deux copilotes discutent encore de la température et du REC MAX." (The two co-pilots are discussing again about the temperature and REC MAX.).
In one of the occurences (p.75), the BEA wrote a guess about this "
préoccupation constante de l’équipage" (constant concern of the crew): "
probablement pour limiter les turbulences." (likely to limit turbulence.). OK. Perhaps.
But there is something strange: at 2 h 06 min 54, the PF said (p.91) "
Moins quarante deux on utilisera pas les anti ice c’est toujours ça de pris " (litteral translation: minus forty two we don't have to use anti icing
it is always something taken. Blue sentence probably translates:
better than nothing).
Why he said this?
Concern about fuel consumption? Same for higher altitude? Same for straight road through ITCZ?
Something to do with salary "add-on"? The salaries of Air France pilots are a non readable black box for people outside the company (and even for many inside).
But it has also been said the company encouraged fuel economy, so it all could be a "good practice" learned by pilots, and very difficult for them to make balance with flight security.
Hope I am not too harsh.
Two questions: did you think the transcription is complete? Seems to me very few is said after Captain came back. And what about (apparently) total ignorance of alarms and synthetic voice?
@ jcjeant: did your post #1028 (
It's seem's that is one more stranger for those 3 strangers ... the plane .... ) means you think the plane was a stranger to the crew (and not a strange plane as suggested)? If true, it is the same for me. Who might have suspected such a story if the black boxes had not been retrieved?
Sorry for my Frenchie English. Sorry for this too long and probably stupid post, but the reading of the CVR transcription is so appalling I can't tell nothing. Peace to all these souls.