BugSmasher1960
Even to use a microwave or mobile phone to its full capability requires the user to study the user manual and understand the system. Most people use these devices for limited applications by seeing how others do it. It is freighting that some pilots do the same in the air while using automation. A pilot started a thread on this forum by stating his bad experienceof of auto thrust not by asking others their opinion but by directly accusing the manufacturer of being irresponsible and producing an inefficient auto thrust system and wanted to create a community protest. When someone pointed out his blunder in using ATHR he quietly disappeared. The SFO and Paphos incidents are examples of crew's ignorance of auto flight/ATHRsystem. What they thought should happen was based on the pilots insufficient knowledge of the ATHR and it simply was not designed to happen. AF447 was a massacre of the innocent because they did not have any idea of what was happening and what needed to be done and out of fear of the unknown did something so bizarre that it defies all logic. Initial training, periodic monitoring and evolving as things happen or don't happen is the way. But it must be incorporated in the SOP with consultation with the manufacturer and not one individual adding something here and another one deleting something there. Profit making is treated as something very mean but don't forget it is the very raison d'etre of airline's existence. What other purpose Airlines are run for?