DonH - "And, I like to keep the tech topic
on topic! " - agreed, but unfortunately 447 opens a large can of worms. Whether the 'automatics' brigade like it or not, some of the programmed features of the AB system contributed to both 447 and the 330/340 events. Note I say 'contributed to' and not 'caused'. Autotrim and the 'software' decision to abandon the stall warning did not help 447 or the 330/340
Originally Posted by HN39
Shortly after that the airplane encountered a vertical gust that increased the AoA to alpha-prot and put the FCS in high-AoA protection mode which caused the zoom climb.
- why? These features are good features and have useful functions in many situations BUT they can cause problems where they should not, and the training is inadequate in 'teaching' crews to defer to the automatics. There were, after all, two hopefully sentient beings in the cockpit who could have decided how to handle an overspeed without having HAL do it for them. Now apparently Boeing are going the same way (with overspeed) - again why?
On the topic of the UAS checklist, we have unfortunately 'lost' the on-going most valuable inputs from PJ2 due to bizarre modding, but it is well worth searching his posts on the topic on the 447 threads. Again, in both 'events', we have crews without the 'big picture' and mesmerised like the proverbial rabbit by the systems.
I have, along with others, for a long time advocated a major change in training for the 'glass/auto' environment. BA recognised it years ago (late 20th century) with their short 'don't get mesmerised' ('EOI') course. The increasing lack of real experience in cockpits plus the over reliance on highly seductive systems is taking us down a clearly defined one-way street. There are some side street exits, but we are running out of them.