737 descent rate?!

[billvon 3,068]

>Undo his seatbelt to try to open the cockpit door and fall onto the control
>column while in the dive?

More like moved his seat forward and squashed his belly against the yoke, at which point he couldn't get up.

Seat-track issues have been at the root of several incidents, including some Cessna crashes where an improperly anchored seat slid backwards during takeoff. This has the opposite effect - the pilot instinctively pulls on the yoke to keep himself from sliding even further backwards and the plane stalls.

[Remster 30]

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23 aeconds.

Actually idk. What is the "avg crusing speed"pf said 737

Is that the European, or the African 737?

Remster

[ryoder 1,590]

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23 aeconds.

Actually idk. What is the "avg crusing speed"pf said 737

Is that the European, or the African 737?

Laden, or unladen?

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[MikeJD 0]

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Maybe...since the Capt. was out peeing, the 1st was doing something 'else' that put the aircraft in that configuration.

He was just having a little fun while the boss was out of the office. 'OK, the coast is clear... woo hoooo!!'

[piisfish 140]

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23 aeconds.

Actually idk. What is the "avg crusing speed"pf said 737

Is that the European, or the African 737?

Laden, or unladen?

or BenLaden

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[Beerlight 0]

Why would you adjust your seat "forward" in cruise flight....? If anything, I'd be moving it aft slightly for a little extra leg room. Nah, this story reeks...

[billvon 3,068]

>If anything, I'd be moving it aft slightly for a little extra leg room. Nah,
>this story reeks...

I think Heinlein's Razor applies here: Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.

[SkydiveJack 1]

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Why would you adjust your seat "forward" in cruise flight....? If anything, I'd be moving it aft slightly for a little extra leg room. Nah, this story reeks...

I'm not trying to verify the accuracy of the news reports because the media normally screws everything up regarding aviation incidents. But the idea of a co-pilot not being able to get the aircraft out of a dive is just beyond me. That goes back to Flying 101.

However, based on the scenario of the captain leaving the cockpit, the co-pilot moving his seat forward is actually quite normal. What happens is this, once the aircraft reaches cruising altitude the workload in the cockpit drops dramatically. RVSM rules require the aircraft to be flown by the autopilot around the 30,000ft and up range. Once at cruise altitude the pilots generally just monitor navigation and aircraft systems as well as making and responding to routine radio communication. Crew seats are normally moved all the way back for comfort and extra leg room at cruise altitude. Your feet will still normally be able to reach the rudder pedals for control if necessary and you don’t need to reach the toe brakes at cruise altitude. But when one pilot leaves the cockpit, the other one will normally move his or her seat forward, just to be diligent and to be in a position of complete control. And depending on the aircrafts altitude, the remaining pilot is required to put on their oxygen mask.

So while moving his seat forward the co-pilot could have hit a button that disconnects the autopilot. Or he bumped the control yoke with enough force to disconnect the autopilot. But this simple disconnect shouldn’t have caused such a rapid descent. The co-pilot screwed up bad. The problem here is probably a cultural one that exists in the Indian/Asian mentality about the Captain being god-like and co-pilots never being allowed to think for themselves. But that’s a whole different topic.

And for those of you who suddenly think that terrorists who read this article will now be able to get the cockpit door open from the outside, just calm down and change your underwear. There is a lot more involved with getting into the cockpit of an airliner than you will ever know. And nothing stated in these news articles will help a bad guy gain access.

[Beerlight 0]

Sounds reasonable, sure...that Heinlein's Razor stuff

I'll let BillVon troubleshoot your scenario, he's good at that...

[airtwardo 7]

The co-pilot screwed up bad.

[BlindBrick 0]

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The co-pilot screwed up bad.

Flesh-light malfunction during routine monkey spanking...gotta keep the damn procedural checklist handy at all times!

[Jbag 0]

terrorists

IHYD

[JohnMitchell 16]

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The co-pilot screwed up bad. The problem here is probably a cultural one that exists in the Indian/Asian mentality about the Captain being god-like and co-pilots never being allowed to think for themselves. But that’s a whole different topic.

The same kind of mentality that crashed so many planes into the 1970's, until we started Cockpit Resource Management. First derided as "Charm School" by many senior captains, this change in workplace attitudes has prevented many accidents.

I hate to say it but I've seen enough incompetent piloting to say this whole story is very plausible. Think of Colgan Air Flight 3407.

[JohnMitchell 16]

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However fast John Mitchel TELLS em to descend!

Hell, I wish. All I hear back is "Unable."

So then they hear "Turn 90 degrees left, vector for traffic."
That usually helps them increase their rate of descent.

[Skyrad 0]

You know the rule, if theres no video it didn't happen

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca