Are Pilots to 'proud' to call a mayday when crashing....?

[TheEnd]

You can watch ACARS as it come in here

http://cpc1-hers2-0-0-cust557.hers.cable.ntl.com:8...

I've seen various flight parameters turn up on them, engine data etc

[fatboy b]

Eric Mc said:

mcdjl said:

crofty1984 said:

Could you have a button that sends the last half hour of data to a central reciever (or even a nearby plane using the same system)?
Just a second to reah across and bash the button as you're going in the drink.
Is that kind of technology viable?

I'd rather the pilot was pressing the buttons that would gte the plane flying than telling someone why it had crashed....personnaly speaking.

Aahh... the very usfeul "Anti-Crash" button. I'm amazed so few pilots ever remember to press it.

Well isn't that what happened to to BA009 when it flew through a volcanic ash cloud? Ok it wasn't one button.

[Eric Mc]

I think Eric Moody would be a bit upset if he thought that people assumed all he did was press a few buttons.

[fatboy b]

I think mcdjl was giving a simplistic view from the back as to what happens up front.

[Eric Mc]

fatboy b said:

I think mcdjl was giving a simplistic view from the back as to what happens up front.

Quite.

[anonymous-user]

TheEnd said:

You can watch ACARS as it come in here

http://cpc1-hers2-0-0-cust557.hers.cable.ntl.com:8...

I've seen various flight parameters turn up on them, engine data etc

I didn't know people could read ACARS messages. I've sent all sorts of stuff over ACARS.

>DOES ANYONE KNOW THE<
>LATEST CRICKET SCORES<
>THANKS <

[superlightr]

Guam said:

uli sees said:

Let me get this straight.....

Somebody on an internet forum (who's not a pilot) is asking other people on the internet forum (who are also not pilots) about what pilots are thinking !

How the hell does anybody know on here what pilots are thinking? we could say they are, we could say they're not.... it would all be just hot air from us.

After many years in very close proximity to Military pilots, I would venture a thought process like Oh crap we are going to die, followed by not on my watch, followed by oh st.............

Daftest Question I have ever seen (and disrespectful to a much maligned proffession).

I am (was) a pilot and used to fly the odd jet from time to time, although not commercial and the button to push was more like a yellow handle you pulled when you wanted to get some fresh air. Hate flying as a passenger now, scary - out of control thing.

Edited by superlightr on Tuesday 7th July 10:13

[mcdjl]

Eric Mc said:

fatboy b said:

I think mcdjl was giving a simplistic view from the back as to what happens up front.

Quite.

Very true...if only because having looked in modern cockpit with a lot of screens there were still way more buttons to press than i'd even know where to start with. My indended point was that I'd rather the pilots were trying to keep the plane in the air rather than pressing a button to let someone know why it was crashing.

[isee]

superlightr said:

Guam said:

uli sees said:

Let me get this straight.....

Somebody on an internet forum (who's not a pilot) is asking other people on the internet forum (who are also not pilots) about what pilots are thinking !

How the hell does anybody know on here what pilots are thinking? we could say they are, we could say they're not.... it would all be just hot air from us.

After many years in very close proximity to Military pilots, I would venture a thought process like Oh crap we are going to die, followed by not on my watch, followed by oh st.............

Daftest Question I have ever seen (and disrespectful to a much maligned proffession).

I am (was) a pilot and used to fly the odd jet from time to time, although not commercial and the button to push was more like a yellow handle you pulled when you wanted to get some fresh air. Hate flying as a passenger now, scary - out of control thing.

Edited by superlightr on Tuesday 7th July 10:13

not a military pilot myself but I am 100% in agreement with you on the passenger flights sentiment.
As for too proud comment I kind of see OP's point there. In my experience it's not the pride (at the end of the day once you land the plane, who's gonna remember who the pilot in G-WXYZ asking for nav assistance is? nobody!) I should think it's more about prioritising. The pilot is trying to recover first and foremost and by the time they realise they are about to die and nothing they have done helped, there is probably too little time left to think about messages, more about your life flashing before your eyes...

[Tony*T3]

OK. so you all think I'm being really stupid suggesting that the pilots priorities do not include a mayday call when its quite obvious that things are unrecoverable? According to the data seen from the Air France plane it was transmitting various failure sugnals for a number of minutes (perhaps 4+?).

And you dont think a mayday call when flying over the Atlantic out of radar contact is a priority? Well, perhaps they were already all dead or incapcitated. Perhaps the two 'drivers' were too busy to key the mike's. Perhaps they were already dead. But do you not think some kind of automated system giving accurate positional information could not be activated when a series of alarms are triggered? I'd want someone to know where and when this was happening. On modern planes all the required equipment is already abord.

Perhaps the removal of the 'third man' from the cockpit of long haul jets is to blame. Too much for the pilots to do in an emergency?

[Famous Graham]

The original question isn't that unreasonable at all. There are several reasons why a mayday would be useful, not least search and rescue.

That's not to say they should be doing that rather than moving heaven and earth to recover whatever the situation is, obviously.

[anonymous-user]

The thread title is,

Tony*T3 said:

Are pilots to 'proud' to call a mayday when crashing. . . ?

The OP then offers . . .

Tony*T3 said:

Have the pilots become to 'scared' to ask for help or declare emergencies?

The OP suggests the pilots are aware they are in a situation of urgency which warrants a MAYDAY call but elect not to do so. He then suggests it's not because they are too busy or are incapable but asks if they decide not to because they are either A) Too Proud or B) Too Scared to ask for help.

That's a bit silly isn't it?

[Famous Graham]

Alright then, the question *behind* the red-top media-esque dramatising