All true, but there should be a procedure in the flight ops manual that outlines how the plane is to be flown absent a failed AoA sensor, and the operating crew, not a deadheading pilot should have known what to do. It is also troubling that the day earlier failure wasn't squawked to the airlines maintenance people and a determination made as to the airworthiness of the plane. I've been on planes where the ongoing legs of the flight were delayed so that maintenance could replace a faulty component. So here we are now with a bunch of dead people and the finger-pointing starting as to were the problem lies. And Boeing has the "deep pockets" so whether or not it's responsible, the ambulance chasing lawyers are beating a path to its door. along with European governments who see this as a way to make hay for Airbus.
” All true, but there should be a procedure in the flight ops manual that outlines how the plane is to be flown absent a failed AoA sensor ...”
There almost certainly is such a procedure outlined in the flight manual, however, you try to find and follow it when the nose is pointed (one min to death) down.
Yes to your comments.
Once you have a problem seems to be a very bad time to consult the manual about what to do. A direct talk with the pilot who “solved” the problem yesterday would have been a great help.
One of my rules is not to fly on airlines like this one. I stick to US lines or bus or train in third world countries. The one exception was when I was much younger and flew a local run in Costa Rica. Security was a pat down and the seats were salvaged from a US theater (wooden) that went out of business. The anti-hijack system was a young man who stood by the cabin door to the cockpit with a rifle. We had no air flight problems, and I boarded a US flight at the San Jose Airport for home.
I don’t know what to say about the people on the second 737 Max plane, after they knew about the first one. But right there I knew it was time to ground these planes.