Holey Cheese
Limiting this to the questions or comments about early release of the CVR information in a narrow sense, and the nature of the post-incident inquiries more generally:
Ian W's post quite properly cites the language of the IFALPA press release insofar as it relies upon the ICAO "accident" terminology. But is it really, either, or? In other words, when the French law enforcement cadres take charge - by the way, what is the standard for their taking charge? Some posters have reached the conclusion that it is "obvious" or even, that anyone not seeing the obviousness is in some kind of denial, that the post-incident inquiry must be predominantly a criminal one. Was this an adjudicatory decision by a French tribunal possessed of competent jurisdiction? Do the French authorities have a stated, published standard which demarcates the suspicion of a crime from the evidentiary basis to proceed to investigate one which the law of France deems to have been committed?
But leaving such legal issues aside, once the criminal machinery is switched "on", that is not the end of the cause and effect analysis. And indeed, does anyone NOT think that the criminal investigators lack a major degree of the aeronautical and systems knowledge held, first, by BEA, and more broadly, its companion CAAs around the world and as united by ICAO?
And then....despite issuance of two-crewmember rulings in the immediate aftermath, no one, let me repeat no one, is wise enough and well-informed enough at this moment to prescribe, proscribe or inscribe what the solutions will be to the various problems. There are issues in FO qualifications, clearly, but their analysis let alone solutions lie deeply embedded in the state of the air carrier business in Europe and globally. There are issues in aeromedical standards and their enforcement, but hardly any real facts yet are known. There are issues too in such more concrete matters, like doors and keys and locks and codes and the inherent propensities of flying aviators to pay attention to lovely hosties who visit up front. Wait, that isn't an issue? (oh well, the more things change, the more they.....)