PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - AF447 final crew conversation - Thread No. 1
Old 11th Dec 2011, 15:37
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chrisN
 
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AIUI (perhaps ATPL’s will put me right if I have it wrong!):

A “drill” is perhaps not quite the right expression, but I’m not sure what is. Under CRM, even a junior pilot is supposed to be able to propose a change from what PIC is doing, or even take over if necessary. Ideally, it never gets to an unresolved argument. But I have seen criticism from ATPLs of a FO who knew that PIC was messing up an approach but felt unable to take over because of his rank. They all died, IIRC. (India? Short runway on top of hill? Went over the end, when FO said go around and PIC did not until too late?)

But what if FO is convinced PIC is doing it wrong, but FO is actually wrong?

In the end, the commander is paid to take decisions, although after CRM-following hearing what the other(s) say.

In AF447, commander left the junior FO as PIC, not just PF, and that seems to have inhibited the other FO in spite of his greater experience. When junior FO Bonin took back control, other FO Robert then tried harder to get commander back, and left it to him to sort it out. Which the latter did not in time.

(IMHO, at least partly because he was not properly told what had happened re stall warning, PF holding stick back, no-one pointing out NU attitude combined with low speed and high descent rate = stalled – but that is another aspect, though still a CRM issue AIUI.)
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