FDX - How About that Safety Culture?
 

Some things never change, no matter how many times we're told it's "safety first."

FedEx fails to block A300 rudder-warning modification

MG2

"Safety 3rd!" - Rocket City Rednecks

Let's not kid ourselves ...

I'm a pretty big safety advocate but we need to be realistic. In the real world "Safety" is never No. 1. Making money by moving packages efficiently is No. 1 AND we should be able to do that safely ...

we MUST be safe.....our VP of Safety still has a job :rolleyes:

With five years of flying the line in the A300/310, I have to agree with the company on this one.

Let’s think about this. If it is so important to install a new rudder-use warning system in the cockpit, why is it only being demanded for the A300/310? The engineers insist the A300/310 vertical tails meet the same certification as all other transport aircraft. So, if they are correct about structure not being a problem, why insist on this pilot warning system only for the A300/310? If it’s needed to make the A300/310 safe, then I contend it must also be required for the A320, A330, A340, and A380. Of course we want our Boeing and MD transport category aircraft to be just as safe, so why not the same system for them? Furthermore, if this wonderful new warning system is so critical to flight safety, then why isn’t the FAA insisting on it?

When I did a military staff tour in aircraft acquisition it seemed the desk jockey engineering solution to a lot of problems was to come up with a new beeper, bell, whistle, horn, and flashing light to warn the pilot that he/she was the problem, since the engineer’s perfectly designed airplane obviously was not. Of course engineers get to defend their efforts after an accident. Dead pilots are denied the same opportunity.

“As usual, Jake thought, the solution to almost every problem ended up in the cockpit.” Stephen Coonts, “Flight of the Intruder”

" why is it only being demanded for the A300/310?"


Because its plastic/fiberglass and glued on.

My guess you could dance on any older: Boeing, Douglass, Lockheed type rudder. You might wrinkle or bend it but, it woun't shear off.

...........

Your "guess" would be wrong, at least according to Boeing's engineers, but what do they know, they're obviously biased!

Goes with the "Just Culture"
 

Safety First

Goes right along with our "Just Culture"

Or is it Justice Culture....sometimes I get those confused.:p

Wouldn't this seem to indicate that we need a warning for all control surfaces?

I'm pretty sure if I went full yoke deflection, forward and aft at high speed, I'd get some bad results. Common sense, general airmanship and a desire for self-preservation has kept me from doing that up to now. I've approached use of the rudder that way too, but who knows. Maybe I've just been lucky and any day now I may just start using full control deflections in all axes to fly the jet.

I say put on the warning lights and the more the better - maybe we're all just a bunch of idiots who need to be saved from ourselves. The FAA alway knows best. :rolleyes: