BOAC
-the practise of Ryanair flying with minimal fuel will eventually be fatal -rubbish
Why do you think this statement of Benno Baksteen is rubbish?
We all know crashes in aviation happen because all the layers of the Swiss cheese cakes are aligned in such way a single hole is created.
Lets assume the 26th of July went a bit different :
-FR pilot knows weather and ATC situation at MAD and wants to take over 300 kg of fuel.
-Few weeks ago same FR pilot was kindly requested to come over to DUB for an 'interview' to answer why he is in the red zone of the fuel league for the last months. If he continues to take more fuel than FR thinks is needed his contract might be ended or he might be transfered to a base far away.
-FR pilot has financial worries about mortgage for house and training/TR and stress in private life (sick child or sick father).
-FR crew is aware that diversions costs the airline lots of money. And also extra hours are not paid by FR.
-while approaching MAD in rushhour CB's are all around. Lots of delay. ATC does not mention estimated approach time. Iberia, Vueling flights are given priority by ATC to land. ATC is stressfull, talks Spanish to Spanish airlines. Weather is very stressfull to the crew.
-FR crew is in doubt weather to divert or hold longer. Needs to concentrate on flying.
-FR does an approach to MAD (Get-There-Itis/ pressure to land on time) but on final a go around is initiated due weather conditions. Decide to divert.
-aircraft is vectored around a CB adding to the flighttime needed to reach alternate field. Might not be taken into account in fuel planning.
-midway MAD and VLC FR calls mayday because low fuel. Got a lower flightlevel (lots of other diversions ex MAD on same route) or unexpected headwind on route to alternate.
-at VLC a Lan Chile calls mayday as well. Is in front of FR. At landing Lan Chile is unable to vacate runway in time for FR behind or worse, blocks the runway.
-FR which called mayday needs to go around with full power
-FR needs to find another airport to land with less than 30 minutes of remaining fuel.
Yes, it is a lot of 'if this and if that' happens. But that is the case with most crashes.
Some of what I described above actually happened. Some could happened.
Ryanair was lucky the FR aircraft that landed slightly below final fuel reserve did so 9 minutes in front of the LAN Chile (which lost one engine) and the LAN could evacuate the rwy.
How unlikely is a slighty different scenario with more bad luck seeing the many flights of FR operates on a single day?