A321 Crashes in France.

[HalloweenJack]

^^ how little time you actually have in an event and


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0icN6OSMG2c

the A320 masks

for note

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1jIjMIikF4

737 mask

notice the airbus is full face with eye protection whislt the boeing is air only

[TheAnimus]

Ok, this is massively off topic, but should clear up somethings.

Firstly, I'm only PPL, I've no rating for anything pressurised, I'll happily tell you (but can't recall the FAR/AIM numbers) everything about altitude flight, and add on a bit, because I'm asthmatic.

I'm also dyslexic, embarrassingly at times, you wouldn't believe how long it took for them to beat out of me calling the Attitude Indicator the Artificial Horizon, because rules are (those that applied to me) it must be called an AI.

However, you're wrong. There are three kinds of uncontrolled depressurisation. Explosive, Rapid, Slow. Explosive is less than half a second, the air will evacuate the lungs, and you won't be able to 'breath in'. Rapid, doesn't require you to be wearing a mask, for it to be possible to breath again. Explosive does, most examples of it, are in situations that you wouldn't be able to put a mask on.

The fun thing is, it's Explosive and Slow that are the most dangerous. You can survive for a good few seconds without oxygen, enough to put a mask on, if you've trained and can do it all from muscle memory. Explosive, you can't breath in, you need (as you mentioned) high pressure, I've been told by an ex mil test pilot (who was one of my instructors and my examiner) that it was pretty much game over, if you didn't have a mask on. As was his style, he used an example which resulted in death as a reminder for us. It's best to engineer away the chance of this happening.

Slow is also hard, you don't notice it. Hypoxia is a pleasing thing to slip into. So you don't realise it's happening. Now luckily we've effective sensors for detecting this, and oximeters too (I use one when I'm 8,000ft+ MSL).

The Rapid, isn't such an issue. It's easier in a way, you know it's happening and you've time. But you can see why I think that the plane should descent automatically. In Airbus lingo, rather what I understand from an instructor who used to fly them, this wouldn't be an action of the flight director but of the control manager.

So that's why I ask, why is it relevant to someone who, sadly, it sounds intentionally crashed the plane? Probably not.

[sammyc]

Germanwings co-pilot 'hid illness from employers'

First thought is that doctor's notes & anything of that nature should be copied/forwarded directly to a central, responsible dept at the airline? - after all, can think of other reasons where a pilot may wish medical info to be kept from employers. Maybe that's an uninformed oversimplified view but on the face of it, another case of something that common sense says should have been implemented and maybe will be now.

Seeing interesting lists of who has/hasn't an existing 2 person in cockpit at all times policy.

[Macman]

This must be REALLY REALLY REALLY hard to comprehend for those that lost a loved one...

- IF there was someone else in that cockpit, it could've been prevented.
- Doctor would've known of his occupation, surely?!? (Doc would think, he could be a flight risk, better inform airline?)

I'm not pointing fingers at the doctor btw, but surely a doctor be able to put 2 and 2 together?

- Car Mechanic (Med Risk)
- Heart Surgeon (High Risk)
- Shelf Stacker (Low Risk)
- Coach Driver (High Risk)

and so on...

Just a thought.

[kalniel]

I think patient confidentially prevents them from telling an employer.

[shaithis]

I think patient confidentially prevents them from telling an employer.

I thought confidentiality could be waived when there is a potential risk to others?

[kalniel]

I thought confidentiality could be waived when there is a potential risk to others?

So therefore we can presume the doctors did not think there was a risk to others.

[peterb]

According to a consultant psychiatrist, depression, if treated, does not preclude an airline pilot from flying.

It seems that in this case the pilot did not disclose his medical condition, so appropriate treatment may not have been given.

[kalniel]

And they've claimed it's not depression anyway, in fact seem to be pointing to a physical rather than mental illness.

Germany's Rheinischer Post newspaper, which spoke to the hospital, quoted its own unnamed sources as saying Mr Lubitz had been suffering from a physical, rather than a mental, illness.

February 2015: Undergoes diagnosis at Duesseldorf University Clinic for an unspecified illness; clinic has clarified the illness was not depression

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32087203

[peterb]

No doubt we will find out in the fullness of time.

[pooley]

It's bad enough when aircraft go down due to mechanical faults let alone pilots doing it deliberately

[TheAnimus]

It's been suggested by his ex, that he was depressed, wanted notoriety and was upset that he would never make a long haul captain. I think it's becoming clear why he had so few hours past ATP, given the time frame.

This is quite shocking as the support system should have raised concerns about this, he shouldn't have been in the cockpit at all. I also think that we will see rules requiring two people up front at all times very soon now, with flight crew given training in how to operate any locking/deadlocking systems.

[excalibur2]

It's been suggested by his ex, that he was depressed, wanted notoriety and was upset that he would never make a long haul captain. I think it's becoming clear why he had so few hours past ATP, given the time frame.

This is quite shocking as the support system should have raised concerns about this, he shouldn't have been in the cockpit at all. I also think that we will see rules requiring two people up front at all times very soon now, with flight crew given training in how to operate any locking/deadlocking systems.

All airlines should have done this, but it would now mean the non pilot taking the place of the absent pilot would have to be vetted for any links to a terrorist org, and would suggest only a woman with no history of martial arts training should be used (if that is possible)..Why? well the pilot has a better chance of preventing a woman over powering him and taking over the airplane for a terrorist act. If the pilot is a woman I have no answer for this....and maybe airlines should switch to be operated by ground control in emergencies, but then terrorists can infiltrate ground control..........................................

[TeePee]

In the US a stewardess waits up front when a pilot is absent. The reason has mainly been in case the remaining crew member becomes incapacitated. I don't know why this isn't already done in Europe.