Lots of political correctness going on here.We need to cut the bs.This was a crew training error.They had not been trained to fly the plane.Forget stabilized approach criteria,SFO ATC,long flight,no electronic guidance,FLCH trap etc etc.The crew were not properly trained.Such a basic error(failure to monitor your flight instruments) can only be explained by incorrect training.All this malarkey about the pilot expecting the AT to have alpha floor and take care of it for him is just like saying the THY crashed at AMS because of a faulty radalt.They crashed because they couldnt fly the plane.Tough I know.But you have to be.Lives are at stake.The NTSB have the chance now to call it for what it is.Not pilot error but rather an endemic problem that is rooted in incorrect training,political correctness and automation reliance.This should be their probable cause.The problem is worldwide but worst in Asia(recruitment cant catch up with economic growth rate plus the unique culture).
Mandate the following:
a)Call a worldwide conference to address issue with Qantas and SWA taking the lead.They are both persistent in rejecting rote push-button ops and should be heralded as beacons of hope to turn the industry around.
b)Identify the weak spots and clean out those airline training establishments .Change of personnel from CP down.Reject political correctness(ie.no visual approaches,fly the 15 mile procedure turn and burn more fuel,we want our pilots to use the automation OR we cant fly manually it puts too much stress on PM OR the pilots are running scared of the QAR)at all costs.
c)Back to basics for new hires.De-emphasize automation,paperwork,SOP,FCOM whilst maintaining a min standard.Instead focus on FLYING.Does the pilot know target pitch and thrust N1 for all flight phases rather than FCOM/SOP theory.This is the way it was.Mandate 3 manual approaches a week policy,more if needed.No AP,No AT,No FD,nothing.Just you and the stick and your hand firmly on the thrust levers,your feet guarding the rudders(not planted on the floor),and YOUR FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS.FLY THE PLANE.AFter 3 months when the guy has it mastered,introduce the superfluous items like SOP,FCOM,paperwork.But instill in that recruit from day 1 that he/she has a lifelong duty to maintain basic flying skills.
Lets never ever have pilots hiding behind automation again.Its a tool,nothing more.