Originally Posted by
BarbiesBoyfriend
Autos- and the way they degrade those hard earned flying skills- are the new killer.
Make that "misuse of/overreliance on" autos and you've got my unequivocal support. The autos themselves care not how they are used.
@exeng (below) - Actually, I seem to recall reading on the EgyptAir 990 accident that if the yokes on the 767 are pulled and pushed opposite each other that the design caused one elevator to deflect up and the other to deflect down (which I think was later changed). Ultimately the Airbus FBW design depends on co-ordinated flight deck roles to a greater degree, but I don't think it's demonstrably less safe. One can argue that if the PNF had the courage of his convictions he should have held down the priority button and stated "I have control" in no uncertain terms, which would be a variation on the procedure practiced in Airbus training, which makes the reasonable assumption that the pilot relieved of control should relinquish their sidestick. The overriding impression I get from the AF447 interim reports is that the lack of clearly-delineated flight deck roles, for which the ultimate responsibility lies with the Captain, led to confusion as to which F/O should be doing what and may have contributed to the PNF's uncertainty as to whether he had the right to relieve the PF of control.