ADM,
Those military accidents tend to be low level with one shot to get it wrong or right. In the AF scenario initially they may have got it wrong, but their experience likely would have sorted the problem. My personal viewpoint surrounding this crash is fairly complex and includes as a major factor fatigue. I am fairly sure they had companions with them and from personal experience of long haul and taking people away I think they were knackered. Do you really need extra training to recognise that a pitch angle of 14 degrees and descending at 10000 feet per minute is a stall.
Your point of being capable of a bad day is so true, however I am seeing and hearing more and more complacency on the line. You obviously are professional and cover all bases, unfortunately in the wider world that is not the case. When inexperienced f/os complain to me that Capts are not interested in hearing their briefing then I know there is a serious problem!
Last edited by Right Way Up; 8th Sep 2012 at 20:53.