Originally Posted by
TonyC
...What I've learned by studying the GPWS Mode 1 graph is that if I ever hear "Sink Rate" a half mile from the runway, it AIN'T just fine, it AIN'T A-Okay...So, it doesn't trigger a GPWS escape manuever in our airplane book, but it sure as heck triggers one in MY book from now on.[/COLOR]
Nicely summarized and well said.
I had never thought of "SINK RATE" in VMC conditions in that way. Maybe night VMC should always be treated as IMC... The ever-intensifying push for stabilized approaches will continue, and there will very likely be some changes to our books as a result of this accident. Sad to learn from someone else's tragic mistake, but at least by learning from this as an industry, and maybe more specifically, cargo night-ops, we pay our respects those who perished.