Originally Posted by
NigelOnDraft
Please confirm that you would "empower" the CC in this scenario to override the specific verbal instructions of the Captain?
It almost certainly would have, but then it would not have been planned in this way. You cannot look at one accident in isolation - you need to design a "system" to provide the minimum overall risk.
"Mentally ill pilot crashes aircraft and kills all on board". How best to address? Prevent the situation in the 1st place, or accept it as fact, and devise solutions that not only allow the mentally ill pilot to still achieve their aims, but opens up a whole range of new hazards.
PS I assume you do know the rules (or lack of) re CC operating with depression / mental illness / associated drugs, their medical checks (nil) etc.?
No, I don't know the medical rules re CC, nor would "I" empower CC to do anything. I am "just" a passenger. Frequently, but still, "just a passenger".
However, I do feel qualified to comment on such basic things, because my life (and yours) depends on getting it right. Clearly, the system that was in play at LH prior to this event did not prevent the incident, and therefore, LH had not got it right.
Alternatively, if it is ultimately deemed that LH did have it right on the basis that other approaches were "more wrong", then we must all live with the fact that we are now in an era when "suicide bombers" can be among the pilot cadre in European flag carriers.
As I am sure you're aware, in the US there are arrangements with FAs entering the FD when one pilot needs to pee/whatever (assuming no relief pilot). Whatever the protocol is that they use, might be a good starting point. It seems to work. But then so did single-pilot in LH until recently.