tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795385237882019506.post4018430588567005832..comments2024-02-05T22:44:26.812-08:00Comments on Tailspin's Tales: • An Alternate View on Why US Airways 1549 DitchedTomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14682476305241175707noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795385237882019506.post-25811890017350954942009-03-06T16:35:00.000-08:002009-03-06T16:35:00.000-08:00See http://www.crashdehabsheim.net/CRenglish%20pho...See http://www.crashdehabsheim.net/CRenglish%20phot.pdfTomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14682476305241175707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795385237882019506.post-46030469681641485382009-03-06T15:57:00.000-08:002009-03-06T15:57:00.000-08:00I worked with Aerospatiale some years back on an A...I worked with Aerospatiale some years back on an Airbus-related project, and their software standards were appalling. This is magnified by their conviction that an engineer in Toulouse knows better how to fly the plane than the pilot in command.<BR/><BR/>Airbuses have a long and colorful history of computers killing people, from the runway excursion at Warsaw in 1990 to the Air New Zealand crash last November - an inquiry found the engines at uncommanded full power on the approach. Poor bastards never had a chance.<BR/><BR/>The A320 flight into trees occured at Habsheim in 1988. The pilots survived only to get smeared by Aerospatiale after a dubious chain of custody of the flight data recorders: Google "Habsheim black box" for the full smelly details.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795385237882019506.post-34148097429919313092009-02-03T17:06:00.000-08:002009-02-03T17:06:00.000-08:00Hi Jim,Who knows, as a kid I may have flown behind...Hi Jim,<BR/><BR/>Who knows, as a kid I may have flown behind you to Japan back in 1953. Still remember the throb of those engines, and the occasional little syncopation as your or one of your colleagues played with the props or mixture. Stews wouldn't let us go downstairs, even to see the lounge. The stops in Wake and Guam were much more adventuresome than Honolulu for a kid—coral, sand crabs, crashing waves. Still have the certificate Pan Am issued us for crossing the date line.<BR/><BR/>Also flew on Pan Am DC-6s to Costa Rica and Guatemala a number of times. Indeed my grandfather was on the first DC-7 to Guatemala City. Oddly, he was the only passenger. <BR/><BR/>There are some amazing stories about blue water ditching out there. Military and civilian.HiTomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14682476305241175707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795385237882019506.post-56329883737964661692009-02-03T16:54:00.000-08:002009-02-03T16:54:00.000-08:00WHEN YOU LOSE POWER OVER WATER YOUR OPTIONS ARE VE...WHEN YOU LOSE POWER OVER WATER YOUR OPTIONS ARE VERY LIMITED BUT THE DITCHING SURVIVAL RATE IS IN EXCESS OF 85%. IF YOU FLY OVER "BLUE WATER" YOU SHOULD HAVE HAD "HOW TO DITCH" TRAINING. NO SPECIAL SKILLS REQUIRED . . . . THE DECISION TO DITCH OR POINT THE AIRPLANE STRAIGHT DOWN IS ALL YOURS. I'VE JUST SPENT TWO DAYS GOING THRU "DITCHING EVENTS ON THE INTERNET. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO "TAKE THE TRIP".<BR/><BR/>jim@tatsco.com<BR/>former piston era PAN AM Stratocruiser Flight Engineer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795385237882019506.post-6656804017786477992009-02-01T23:58:00.000-08:002009-02-01T23:58:00.000-08:00Wow...I'm calling jealous BS on this one. They sim...Wow...I'm calling jealous BS on this one. They simply did what they are trained to do. The odds don't favor this outcome but given the situation, they did they best they could and it worked in our favor.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com