Originally Posted by
Organfreak
I do appreciate your attempt to clarify your views, and that gives me the opportunity to apologize if I was harsh with you.
No problem, accepted.
I don't disagree with any of the above, except your apparent view that the accident had only one cause.
I was kind of hoping that the word "systemic" would imply that I think the causes are myriad in number as opposed to just one, which is indeed the case.
Nor is there any evidence whatsoever that it would not have helped in this situation. YOU CAN'T KNOW THAT!
Let's be clear here - I'm saying that based on the evidence we can't know one way or the other and it's a purely speculative exercise. I think you'll find that it's the vocally pro-yoke guys who are insisting that it would have made all the difference.
No-one is suggesting that, based on one accident, SSs should be ripped out and replaced with yokes, fer cryin' out loud.
You'd be surprised, and that's all I'll say.
As for wanting aircraft to be foolproof, they've come a long way over the last 50 years and it has proved to be a mixed blessing in a few ways, because as aircraft have become more reliable, a serious systems failure can become more of a psychological shock to the pilot when it does occur. The B757, for example, had an unprecedented safety record for a short to medium-haul narrowbody until the mid-90s, when two minor maintenance errors led to loss-of-control and a crash. This is why I'm inclined to focus on improvements in training, because ultimately even with improvements in automation and technical reliability the pilot is the last link in the chain and must be prepared.