That makes logical sense mm43, thank you.
Hello Machinbird.
From my recurrent training and experience in the A330 Level D sim, roll oscillations weren't difficult to control even if one kept at it (waggling the stick) for a period of time instead of freezing the stick/wheel and making one opposing input, (as Davies suggested in HtBJ) to halt the pattern.
Such side-to-side action (there is a graph on one of the threads showing the exact input/pathway of the stick), on the stick does not lead to a pitch-up although a change in pitch attitude may incidently occur and if so it, pitch, is very controllable.
The airplane is sensitive but not that sensitive so as to lose control either in pitch or roll. Such "inadvertent" inputs are not, and were not "dramatic". They lead neither easily nor rapidly to a continuous pitch up to the stall nor would such sensitivities keep it there, at a 16deg pitch attitude.
That there was PIO there is little doubt but it is efficiently controllable and does not lead to a loss of control without other factors intervening in pilot awareness and recovery efforts. Up until the continuous NU inputs and the rapid loss of energy and perhaps even near the apogee, the data does not indicate a complete (irrecoverable) loss of control.
Having flown many other types, I strongly suspect this is the same with other transport aircraft such as the B767, B777 and so on. The Airborne Express DC8 accident has been mentioned numerous times.
Last edited by PJ2; 30th Jan 2012 at 07:47.