The spectre of computer complacency and cockpit resource management conceit are yet again highlighted by the Singapore Airlines (SIA) tailscrape report (Flight International, 23 December 2003-5 January).
A heavily fuelled Boeing 747 staggers into the air, teetering on stick-shake, and no one slams the throttles forwards?
The take-off and landing weight figures are near identical, but not questioned? The Vr speed is 30kt (55km/h) less than the norm, but not reviewed? And the aircraft proceeds for 490m (1,600ft) in a nose-up, tail-scraping attitude going nowhere too slowly.
How? Could it be because the crew were rostered and trained as they were? The commander had fewer hours on type than the low-hours-on-type first officer, and the additional, more experienced third crew member would have to have challenged his commander. I blame the system, not the operative.
The finale has to be the New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission deciding that all this might be a "topic" for attention.
Nearly 30 years ago at Nairobi a Lufthansa Boeing 747 stalled on take-off. It seems we got pretty close to it again, but without mass fatalities. Will we ever learn?
Lance Cole Swindon, Wiltshire, UK
Source: Flight International
