Originally Posted by DozyWannabe
Because the pilot has the ability to solve problems dynamically in a way computers can't. It's always going to be harder at night, because you can't get a fix through the windscreen, but during the day it should be a relatively simple matter of comparing the attitude on the instruments with what can be seen outside. Sadly, the AF447 crew didn't have that option, but judging by the report, the instruments were functioning correctly through the majority of the accident sequence.
There was no problem to solve. The automation knew it had a bad input and decided it could no longer fly the airplane. Why not tell the pilot which input was bad? Announcing an ADR problem is not adequate.
Somebody recently said that the A/S indicators were covered with a red X. My A320 manual states that the A/S scale will be replaced with SPD
Interim 1 reads (to me) that we don't know if the FO A/S scale indicated SPD or was a normal looking tape. I'm sure someone who has all thousands of pages of reports memorized will know, but from what I can see the airplane never gave a clear signal indicating that speed inputs were suspect. I still hold that the aircraft knew that UAS caused the A/P to disconnect,
it just didn't tell the pilots that little fact. The final report avoids the question by graphing CAS, not IAS. If I read these report correctly, the A/S indications were wildly fluctuating but they did not ever show SPD
The die was cast in those initial few seconds, and the airplane wasn't showing all available info during that time. It was however, chiming, clicking, honking, flashing, etc. EVERYTHING was demanding attention EXCEPT the important thing. That important THING was curiously silent and invisible. Go figure.