Taff, Air New Zealand had an enviable safety record until Mt Erebus, as did the Titanic until she was driven at full speed into an iceberg...
And Stargazer. "Light walkround" What the hell is that???????? Never heard of it in 20 yrs flying. Failure to do a proper walkround is a hanging offence in any aviation circle I've ever been in, so I hate to think where you got that one from.
Engineers sign your tech log? Maybe they do sign for the walkround if you are lucky enough to have engineers to do that at every stop, but they sure as hell don't sign acceptance for the airplane, again I've never heard of anyone accepting without one or other of the pilots doing their own. if you don't get engineers every stop (as in my Co) then do you have two different walkrounds? One proper one, and one token one, sorry, "Lite" walkround when you trust someone else has done your life-saver for you? Do you say to the FO, "Oh, Bloggs, do us a Walkround Lite please?".
FR taxi high speed? We all know it is a company characteristic. Anywhere they operate people point them out as they hurtle past on a regular basis. Maybe they are on "on time" bonus. If so its a bloody risky policy. I'd hate to see their lawyers try to wriggle out of the subsequent lawsuit in the event of a taxy accident if that is the case.
I frequently watch them on approach at a major UK field, and it is plain to see on almost every approach that FR deploy gear and flaps 15 at least a mile beyond where every other 737 does. That is not imagined. Go sit abeam 4 mile finals somewhere for an hour or so and watch it happen. It is NOT a myth.
Shutting down both and coasting onto a stand? I'd have thought that a gross breach of good airmanship and a hanging offence too even in a flying club environment. To do it in a public transport aeroplane seems unbelieveable. Again, maybe I've led a sheltered life in Europe, but I've never heard of taxiing out on one engine "to save fuel". Shutting one down on the way in has been mooted on occasion but again I've never actually seen or heard it done. Why? Save a 3 litres of gas perhaps?
As you said, Stargazer, there is the real world that incorporates Professionalism and good airmanship and there is an environment infested with cowboys. Which one do you aspire to?
Last edited by Agaricus bisporus; 6th July 2003 at 03:13.