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<p>I think it’s going to more about over-reliance on technology. It’s beginning to sound like no one was paying any attention to what the airplace was actually doing.</p>
<p>" I do understand the general concept, however. So how likely is it that deviations occur to distract the pilot(s)? As a lay person, I would assume that if everyone is doing their job, is a fairly rare likelihood."</p>
<p>Nope. Deviations and distractions happen all the time. One constant of flying is that nothing is ever going to be the same. You are always correcting. There is always a change. Traffic, winds, weather, mechanical, it never stops. Even distractions after you land, everything is fluid, always changing. But a course deviation should not be a big deal. If it’s too large of a deviation and you can’t make the landing, you go around. It is unlikely, if you are hand flying an approach, that there will not be some sort of course deviation on final. A little to the left, a little to the right, you just correct it. Pilots are very good at multi-tasking, as you can’t just get preoccupied on one item or you’re in big trouble.</p>
<p>FlyMe…What I was saying in the previous post (para 2) was just that there are a multitude of things the pilot(s) must keep track of simultaneously, especially during the landing phase. When one thing starts to wander off, it can distract your attention away from the other items if you let it.</p>
<p>MINOR deviations happen all the time (a few knots of airspeed, slightly off altitude, etc.) but a good crosscheck combined with PROPER crew coordination will catch it. An aircraft will have a planned reference speed for the approach based on it’s gross weight and you base your callouts to the other pilot on that speed. For example, in my current company our callouts between pilots on final approach would sound something like this; “On course/slightly left/slightly right, on glidepath/slightly low/slightly high, reference speed + XX knots, groundspeed XX knots (a backup check in the event of windshear), sinkrate XXX feet per minute”. We repeat these calls several times during the descent to landing to make sure the approach is stable, and we call out deviations as we see them; "Drifting left/right, speed slow/hot, going above/below glidepath, etc.). In addition, we do multiple configuration checks to ensure the gear/flaps/slats/etc. are all properly set for the approach. All US based companies have similar procedures for their pilots. The whole point is to never let a minor deviation become a major deviation, because a major deviation can be dangerous.</p>
<p>Your daughter will be perfectly fine coming home Sunday. The level of breakdown in communication that seems to have happened in this incident is incredibly rare (thankfully). I’m really at a loss to explain how/why it could happen without any extenuating circumstances or distractions (system failures, etc.).</p>
<p>LasMa…I think it’s likely to end up being a combination of human factors. Over-reliance on automation, improper use of automation (setting but not engaging auto-throttles), poor crew coordination, and poor situational awareness.</p>
<p>Sounds like pilots have to be “supermoms” with hypervigilance, especially since they’re in charge of so many lives and equipment. Yes, they would have to be great multi-taskers, since most of us had our hands full driving squabbling kids on a busy road, without having to deal with all the rest that pilots have to manage.</p>
<p>No wonder they get the “big bucks.” :)</p>
<p>Funny, HImom, I always thought my experience being a mom (especially during the toddler days) have helped me be a better pilot. Thinking of threats before they happen, putting your head on a swivel.</p>
<p>I would be annoyed at your companies procedures, Wolverine. My company, we speak up if certain parameters are not met, if someone is unstable, checklist or configuration items, or threats are noticed. I hate it when people try to give me a PAR final, and I start tuning them out, as its distracting. I only want people to give me required calls and if they see something wrong. But I guess you get used to any procedures after awhile.</p>
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<p>Crap…I knew I was missing out on something!! :)</p>
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<p>Trust me…sometimes we wish we could reach into that back seat and give some attitude adjustments…but I digress.</p>
<p>busdriver…Yep, we do get used to it after a while. It’s not so much company specific as it is a “highly emphasized training policy” where we get our training done that they expect the clients to adhere to…and thus the Feds look for in the checkride standards. There are a lot worse habits to get into for sure…and it’s kept me out of trouble for 27 years and counting!!</p>
<p>Hey, whatever works, and it sounds like that has done well for you over the years. I tend to fly rather tired and somewhat irritated (though I hide it very well), it’s just the nature of the job. I want people to be standardized, and if I’m correcting to course or everything is fine and they’re still yapping and missing ATC calls, I feel like yelling, "Shuddup!’ But of course that would be unprofessional and I don’t want to shut someone down, so I find a way to mention it nicely afterwards. Let’s hope we all stay out of the news for the next 10-15 years (hopefully less).</p>
<p>^My ultimate goal has always been to finish my flying career with number of takeoffs equal to number of landings, and no excursions off the paved surfaces. So far so good!!</p>
<p>^^Worthy goals, I’m with you there! Think I’ve met those so far, but since I used to fly C-5’s, I might have blown over a thing or two behind me… not quite sure. I also hope that when I retire, people say, “Who was that, anyways?” As being known is usually not a good thing, plus I don’t ever want to be used as a training example!</p>
<p>It’s good to know that we can rely on the TV media to always provide the latest accurate information in these breaking news stories:</p>
<p><a href=“Asiana Pilots names from KTVU News - YouTube”>Asiana Pilots names from KTVU News - YouTube;
<p>^^ OMG, I thought that was a joke video but when I read the comments I found out it was real. I can’t believe that news anchor didn’t realize what she was saying.</p>
<p>Well, she said that they had confirmed the names with the NTSB! 
And, I love the part where she says they were “working” on what roles each pilot played. From the sounds of it, the TV station’s newsroom must have been working mosty on rolling joints or something…</p>
<p>Here’s the station’s apology:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/ktvu-apology-friday-noon-report/nYpSg/[/url]”>http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/ktvu-apology-friday-noon-report/nYpSg/</a></p>
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<p>Although the errors usually aren’t that egregious, it does call into question whether anything TV newsreaders “report” is reality-based…</p>
<p>So all you have to do to be hired at some television stations is to have an IQ of 50 & the sensibility of a drunk teenager?</p>
<p>on another (sad) note…
[SF</a> plane crash: third victim dies - SFGate](<a href=“S.F. plane crash: Third victim dies”>S.F. plane crash: Third victim dies)</p>
<p>Oh so sad.</p>
<p>OMG. I just got home from a ballgame and watched the link from Idad. I dont know whether to laugh or cry. True confessions- I am still laughing. OMG.</p>
<p>jym:</p>
<p>It might be the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. The way she read the whole list and then just kept right on going, “And, in other news”.</p>
<p>And, what really is amazing is that it is the perfect timeline of the accident…</p>
<p>I must have the sickest sense of humor because I am still laughing. My DS and his GF lived in Oakland until very recently-- I sent it to them.</p>
<p>That intern at the NTSB’s butt has surely been shown the door,but I’ll bet he/she is still laughing too. Time for a career change for that kiddo.</p>
<p>Oh this is all your fault, Idad. I can’t go to sleep because I can’t stop laughing and it will awaken my DH</p>