Originally Posted by
before landing check list
From the video (and many earlier posts) Seems like the design enable mediocre pilots the ability to fly with ease if there are not too many demands on them.
Or, you know, giving good pilots the knowledge that, more than 99% of the time, there's something covering their back if they make a mistake, or knowing that they can push the limits of the airframe safely if they need to make a positive evasive maneouvre.
Let's visit the bank limiter. Apparently it is there so a person with little ability/situational awareness will not exceed what the software engineer figured out what the limits shall be.
The text in bold makes me sad. How many times can I say that the limits were set by the aerodynamicists and aero engineers - and discussed with the engineering pilots (in consultation with line pilots) - before the software engineers got anywhere near it until it sinks in?
Can anyone imagine why you would ever need to exceed them? What about to avoid a mid air? Not that it would require a 90 degree bank but it is nice to know it is there if needed...
A 90 degree bank would endanger the structural integrity of the airframe, especially if pulling G's in the pitch axis. The protections in the A320 allow the pilot to order a full right bank up to 67 degrees and will keep the G loading below 2.5 if pulling, as specified by the aero engineers who designed the thing - if you need more than that for an escape maneouvre then you shouldn't be on the flight deck in the first place.
but wait, you have to be able to actually fly in that regime in order for it to be effective. What? No prior experience/training in those 1000 hours of experience?
That's the point, the protections allow you to do it safely - whether you're the best pilot in the world and know the precise airframe limits or not - because pilots like Gordon Corps tested the thing to the aerodynamic limits and discovered what was safe, and included those limits in the design. In Normal Law you can pull full back and bank and the aircraft will give you the maximum possible response without fear of doing damage.
Next lets discuss the system that prevents a stall. Why is it there? Maybe so inexperienced pilots can cope with most situations.
As I said before, even the best pilots have bad days, just ask KLM. The point is that if you exceed the safe AoA in Normal Law then the aircraft will have your back.
I am not actually belittling the airplane or design. All if I am saying that is if we keep designing airplane so foolproof we need to stop producing fools that fly them with little or no practical experience.
Cutting back on training was never the intent of any FBW airliner design no matter which side of the Atlantic they are built. That particular SNAFU belongs squarely at the door of airline management.