Originally Posted by
beardy
If, during the recovery, the CM2 (first officer/co-pilot) had been given control and had taken it and used the instinctive disconnect button to isolate CM1's sidestick, the event would have ended then and there. Instead both pilots wrestled with the controls, a no-no in an Airbus.
I think the report says that the co-pilot did indeed do that, but as the captain believed that the autopilot had commenced the dive he was also pushing the autopilot disconnect button. As with all Airbus aircraft, once the autopilot is disconnected the same button becomes a "control override" button. So copilotpressed to overide captain, captain pressed to disconnect autopilot but actually overrode copilot, and so it went on. This stems from the captains lack of SA that the control column on his side was deflected fully forward and the autopilot disconnected.
Anyhow, this whole incident, including the SI and court martial has presented the RAF in a very bad light, and has denigrated the reputation of RAF pilots generally. I do not believe the man lied but his negligence, as he admits, caused the manoeuvre, and thus he is punished. Personally I think a bit harsh but there we go. Pour encourager les autres...