Originally Posted by
Busboy
Just curious...and, I'm certainly not condoning that type of approach...But, do you guys really think that approach and landing were unsafe?
For the most part all I've heard on here are references to FOQA and ASAPs. Which leads me to the conclusion you're not really worried about the safety aspect of it...but, more the legality of it.
Originally Posted by
FDXLAG
Yes there is doubt they were rushed or gaffed off a checklist. I see an aircraft flown on glidepath on speed. The gear likely came down late rushed/gaffed or more likely distracted. They likely pushed the 500' target and if that is the case they probably should have gone around. In the cockpit they made the decision that the approach was safe and what do you know, they were right.
The rest is between them and the company. None of my business.
I think both of you are a bit off the mark. The approach ended with the aircraft safely on the ground - yes. However, that approach had much more potential for problems than a properly flown approach.
Lag,
You saying they "decided" the approach was safe has about the same level of assumption as me saying they were totally distracted by their lack of gear in the last 300' of the approach and were most likely paying attention to little else.
Stabilized approach criteria is supposed to be more than just a square to fill so you're "legal". If you're stable before you enter the last 500-1000 feet of the approach, you are in a better position to:
Notice windshear (pitch, VSI, airspeed changes meeting the limits)
Scan the runway for incursions
Process radio calls
Actually monitor as the PM
Notice/deal with malfunctions
.....and I'm sure folks could add more.
There's no way you're in the best position to deal with issues in the last few miles if your gear is in transit, your flaps are not yet at their final setting, your power is moving, your airspeed is not at Vapp and your PM is still finishing up the checklist. At the very minimum, the fact that you know you're pressing or past the accepted limits is in itself a distraction.
Obviously everything can and often will work out in spite of a bad approach but only because things stay "normal". We can't know what would have happened if these guys had been thrown a curve ball in the last few seconds.