Why was there no female voice in the comms?Was the PIC doing it all in a difficult situation?
In your original question Frank was a hypothesis that the reason there was no female voice was that she was also PIC and not sitting in the usual F/O spot.
Who was sitting where?
So if I am interpreting your post correctly you are suggesting that the F/O was in fact MIA as far as being an effective member of the crew was concerned?
I think that the F/O should speak up and tell her version of the events. In the absence of the CVR there is a huge hole in the narrative. Even if she had spoken in camera at the Senate then at least they may have had a clearer picture of the event.
IMHO once she took responsibility for the comms the crew were focusing on the immediate situation and in the absence of any transmission to the aircraft the comms went way down on the list of their perceived priorities. Maybe she was overloaded, maybe she was barely hanging on monitoring the PIC, either way the only way to find out was through the recovery of the CVR. Quite possibly its all too late and its half way to NZ.
LL I like you believed that to be the case but I have it on good authority that requirement isn't enshrined in law, rather it is a stipulation that some operator's choose to adopt as SOP and in their COMs.
Nothing surprises me anymore Sarcs about this whole sorry mess.