Originally Posted by
Punkah Louvre
Agreed. #FDRFAIL is trending too. What, I have a switch to throw now?
Joking aside, we have both a memo and CFM guidance for a deferred FCC/FD takeoff; we just can't use it until the MEL is on the release? Under most circumstances i believe we should fly the airplane the way our employers tell us to, but his seems a step backwards. A no FD takeoff is about the easiest 'no automation' scenario we have, good god, it's pitch for an airspeed, and less of one if there's a big bang from behind.
This is tantamount to mandating autopilot engagement at 600' and clicking it off at 80' on an ILS.
When its
appropriate we should have the discretion to fly raw data, and practice what may be
required by an MEL.
I wonder if the company will revisit this once people start refusing FD inop metal because they have never Rotated into the Raw.
/PL
Having the FD up is good situational awareness. You don't have to follow it and can easily fly pitch/as or raw needles on an ILS with it on. Turning it off, especially on a complex RNAV SID or STAR is adding unnecessary risk. Why even bother to dial the altitude bug until you get to cruise? The reason these things exist is to add safety redundancies.