Originally Posted by
RAT 5
This, in my opinion, was an accident waiting to happen. Over reliance on automation causing complacency, lack of training,
In some cases that is proved to be true: however, these were not inexpereinced pilots. They had flown other less automated types.
Flaps20
CHECK THRUST
Positive rate - gear up.
If you do and say this, you will live.
No doubt this is how they had been trained on other types, as it is pretty standard, especially with less automated types. The physics haven't changed.
I often wonder why pilots bin their experience from previous days when they are told to 'let the automatics do it for you, stop cross checking': 'follow the FD' etc.etc.
I am afraid it is even more basic than this: Power Attitude Trim is(/was/will be) taught and is the panacea, no matter what aircraft you fly. (Mine was solo on a C150 to left seat on the 747 and 777 for a legacy carrier). Never mind all the (distracting) FMA calls, which hardly anyone gets correct, the basic procedure still works (and was not followed in this case):
- Hand on the THR LVRs
- Straight Arm (whilst communicating to the other guy your intentions)
- Wait for the engines to spool up (pointers moving towards Max THR)
- When the other guy calls ROTATE, smoothly select the correct attitude
There is plenty of time to select the TOGA mode when airborne as the runway will give a good indication of which direction you should be following! And after a big breath, read the FMAs for the subsequent board of inquiry.
No, these bozos did nothing correctly. EK, not BOEING, should be in the dock for this one and MacDonald's should have a couple of new burger flippers. They should never be allowed near another aircraft.