Creampuff
I am diverted from answering Sunfish question, more on that later but I cant leave you alone for a moment without you getting all precious.
Could, should, would, not aware, failed to recognise, what in Gods name were they doing up there. Two licensed ATPLs yet.
Why bother to define and promulgate a "
SPECI" (is issuedspecifically to bring pilots attention to a significant change to previouslyforecast weather) or METAR fo that matter. Just so pilots could, should, would, not aware, failed to recognise one, without question. Do they have add the words Pan or suchlike in front to get the pilots attention.
The same by your definition "unreliable" HF, I believe 2 are required and were installed, could have provided a simple answer to their "confusion" if in fact their was any. They had a duty of care and the means to clear up absolutely the HF "confusion" particularly in relation to weather.
Fiji NGA request
NGA Fiji go ahead
Fiji NGA request you repeat the current METAR/SPECI words twice.
NGA Fiji etc..
and how do you write that up as a required procedure in the COM, its called airmanship.
Forget what CASA may have deducted/decided, honestly, lets just proceed on the basis they heard the single word SPECI, or weather, or just a scramble of hash with their rego, we've all heard it, and what should have been their actions as pilots or lack of going on from there.
And yes we are in heated agreement about the recovery of the recorders, which I assume is still possible, maybe after 3 years unless they were digital and potted their usefulness is moot.
Why in some evidence I saw (AAT and I am going from memory here) regarding multiple flights across the sectors were all carrying what looked to me like full fuel towards Norfolk save the last few with James in command with I think one exception.
Was this perhaps because that aircraft for one reason or another was no longer able to accept full fuel even if he wanted to put it on.? Hearsay yes "It leaks if you put more than X on so dont" has been put to me that it wont be the first time.
My personal experience with one older aircraft is that the top 4-600 lbs just couldn't be got in.
Nah IMHO CASA and Pelair clearly appear to have/had shortcomings but the root cause is simpler than that according to the ATSB and I personally have not been able to find fault with their basic premise. Punches pulled maybe but after the other day I get that.
My instinct that there is an air of a more serious cover up around this that wont go away.
I'm definitely going to get jumped on now but IMHO the simplest answer is always the shortest way to the truth.