Purple Drank

We all ought to assume--right or wrong--that every word we say and every action we perform in the cockpit, is going to be subject to intense scrutiny in the case of a mishap. And ALPA is powerless to prevent its release.

bigbusdriver

Long way down the road from the Magna Carta buddy and "due process" (notice the quotes) applies to all government proceedings. I'll add you to the list of pilots that doesn't want a fair shake?

Purple Drank

you just hit the seawall and you've skidded through the infield out of control... and you're going to tell them to stay seated.

I think we're done here.

bigbusdriver

No doubt. We are going to be on stage for the world to see warts and all. There's no reason not to be concerned about the lighting?

bigbusdriver

I forgot, you don't have a sense of humor. Dude, godzilla in the bulk...

"Hersman said the pilots at first told passengers to remain seated, but they reversed their decision and ordered an evacuation after a flight attendant told them he saw fire and smoke outside the window."

"We don't know what the pilots were thinking, but I can tell you, in previous accidents there have been crews that don't evacuate," she said. "They wait for other vehicles to come to get the passengers out safely. Certainly if there's an awareness that there's a fire aboard the aircraft, that is a very serious issue. There was a fire, and then the evacuation began."

She said part of the crash investigation will involve deciphering if proper procedures were followed during the evacuation.

"Hindsight is 20/20," Hersman said. "We all have a perspective that's different than the people involved in this."

Purple Drank

That ship has sailed, bro.

Like 76-seat scope...pensions...and Delta pilots' status as the sole pilot group permitted to negotiate with Delta management.

Great job, ALPA

Purple Drank

I do agree with that. I am guilty of Monday morning QB-ing.

bigbusdriver

What about @NTSB Preliminary indications show that engines, systems and controls were functioning normally but we won't know until we've tested everything.

+2 extra characters left over.

bigbusdriver

Hate on hater, hate on, but I agree with this

Release #13.39
July 11, 2013

ALPA Reaffirms Commitment to Finding All Factors in Crash of Asiana Flight 214

WASHINGTON—As contributing factors continue to be discovered in the Asiana Flight 214 accident investigation, ALPA again warns about the dangers of speculation based on incomplete data. Today, the NTSB revealed that the pilot flying the aircraft was blinded by a flash of light only seconds before the crash. It also has been reported that the autothrottles may have malfunctioned.

ALPA fully supports open, objective, and thorough investigations with the goal of finding all factors involved in the accident, not simply the most convenient to identify quickly. Anything less must not be tolerated.

“ALPA, like other organizations with airline safety as a bedrock value, views any accident involving an airline aircraft with a single objective – finding every link in the complex chain of events leading to the accident so that mitigations can be put in place to keep such an accident from happening again,” said ALPA president, Capt. Lee Moak. “Clearly, with decades of experience and tens of thousands of flight hours on the flight deck in multiple airline aircraft, a well-rested, fully qualified professional airline flight crew does not set out to fly into a seawall. The key question remains, why did events unfold as they did?”

The hazard of laser illumination of airline cockpits has been recognized as potentially disastrous, and commercially available lasers continue to grow in both power and popularity among those oblivious to the potential danger. If aircraft arriving in San Francisco are being targeted, or if some other light source is creating a distraction to the pilots of arriving aircraft at low altitude, identifying that hazard is critical.

Similarly, determining the second-by-second status of the autothrottles, a key element in speed control, must also be a priority. Proper, appropriate operation of all aircraft automation needs to be verified, and any deviations from standard procedures and operations thoroughly and promptly investigated. If a mechanical deficiency, a training deficiency, or other problem exists, that must be detected promptly and examined thoroughly in order to develop a remedy.

Another issue receiving little attention is the effect of the ongoing construction on and around Runway 28L. The NTSB has commented on the lack of an instrument landing system (ILS) on that runway as a result of the construction. Availability of multiple accurate vertical guidance cues, particularly when landing at an airport with which a pilot may not be familiar, is critical to pilots. The absence of this capability must be further evaluated, as should the availability of other external cues.

“As we recognize the testament to safety represented by the survival of nearly every occupant of the aircraft, and as we remain mindful of the victims and their loved ones, we also recognize the aviation safety community’s responsibility to investigate every possible aspect of the operation leading up to the accident with the singular goal of preventing a recurrence,” said Moak.

Purple Drank

...and Joe Sixpack just tuned out.

Put it in a tweet, Lee. If you're targeting the general public's opinion, the above long-winded, technical diarrhea is pure gobbledygook.

ALPA is an anachronism.