Originally posted by RJC
Gossip I heard this week was that the PM -- who was the co-pilot-- said "airspeed" more than once. Please note that this is second or third hand gossip, but, if true, will put us in a run of incidents/accidents where quite inexperienced co-pilots are sitting watching experienced pilots crash aircraft.
I've got my doubts about the veracity of this as I would expect the commander to be PM given the poor weather there was at the time. Is this standard practice across all the companies?
Only 2 possible sources? AAIB from CVR and would be highly unprofessional so unlikely? Or CP himself, speaking to colleagues, more likely, but even if true the real question is did the Pilot hear him?
We should wait on the facts from CVR and AAIB - hopefully we will get another interim report.
Co-Pilots - although they may be inexperienced, they are highly trained professionals who have the skills and ability to do everything the A/C commander can do - I would expect.
The real question, which has been posed earlier in this thread, is what sort of culture exists in the cockpit in the N/S, which has been partly answered but not fully?
It's a very British trait where there is a reluctance to point out mistakes to senior personnel, or question their decisions for fear of being wrong and looking stupid. Is this a problem in the companies in Aberdeen? The Co-pilot has a duty to take control if he thinks something is wrong, or his colleague has become temporarily incapacitated, and from what I have read, having no visual references can cause problems for even the most experienced?
Also nobody has mentioned fatigue as a possible factor? I know you guys are strictly limited on flying hours, but crash occurred at end of week and late on a Friday?
As an aside I have read some interesting articles form the AF447 crash in July 2009, which mystify me, as I thought all singing all dancing Airbus planes could not get outside their safe flight envelope? The crew were certainly able to get this one in an unsafe trim.
Also here there were 3 crew, although the most experienced was in bed when the chain of events was triggered by the least experienced crew member, when the auto pilot was disengaged when the pitot tube a/s sensor failed.