At that point, at 38,000 feet, wouldn’t the plane be on auto pilot?
If it was on auto pilot and remaining pilot in the CP had a heart attack why would he shut off the AP without the other pilot being in the cockpit?
As I told my wife last evening, upon learning that the Islama Administration had made a public statement that terrorism was not involved ... “I’ll bet you $100 this was the work of another Jihad Johnny pilot ... Looks like I may be right.
I knew there would be a reason that locking cabin doors would be a BAD idea.
But alas, we just have to change rules for “safety”, in this case thanks to 9/11.
The criminally insane and Moslems are well aware of the rules and how to take advantage of them.
(Not that Islam is what happened here, but it has crossed my mind many times that all the knee-jerk changes made are not all so wise.)
I read that two passengers where from Iran. I don’t know if that could mean something.
The door lock switch in the A320 has 3 positions:
UNLOCK - obvious
NORM - door can only be opened using the correct code/procedure, known by both pilots and a senior FA
LOCK - door can’t be opened at all for a preset time of 5 to 20 minutes.
Switch is normally in NORM during flight, allowing only authorized people with the code to get in.
LOCK is only to prevent a hostage situation where a hijacker would force a crew member to reveal the door code. LOCK position thwarts this.
Under normal circumstances, a heart attack would not prevent cockpit access. The switch would be in NORM, and the door can be opened.
So, this was not normal.
It will be interesting to hear the recording — “Mohamed, don’t do this! Let me in! (in German of course!)”
A prayer rug was found in the cockpit and the plane was flying east when it crashed but terrorism is not suspected.
bump
Just spoke with a Friend who is conversant in French; she just saw an interview on FOX with a French Prosecutor who revealed (in French) that the Co Pilot of that doomed German plane was a Sufi Muslim, converted in Germany and a member of a terrorist cell associated with the 9/11 gang.
The Translator conveniently left that part out of the English translation.
If that’s true it would confirm my suspicions, as well as raise some salient questions;
If this dude was a know member of a terror cell, what the Gehenna was he doing aboard that plane, never mind in the cockpit??!!
Also heard on FOX that while this Saheed was in training, he took an extended sabbatical for some reason.
Gee; I wonder if it was during the Haj by any chance?
Did anyone else who poly-vues le Frace’ catch that interview?
Is it still up on line or has it been scrubbed?