Beech Tree News Network

Lookin’ thru’em bifocals I see:  The newest airlines today have computers operating all the control surfaces on the airplane; wing flaps, ailerons, rudder, elevator, trim tabs on both ailerons, and on the elevator—all depending on silicone connectors enclosed and fused together in what we call a chip.  Oh, I almost forgot the auto-pilot too.  All on what are sometimes called “Fly By Wire.”

On most advanced airliners today the pilot lifts off by manual control, reaches down on climb-out and turns on the auto-pilot and the Plane flies out to a preset altitude and heading directed by a ground controller.  When the pilot reaches the destination, he/she disconnects the auto-pilot on the final approach to the runway. 

Sometimes there is a glitch in the little computer chip, or chips.  This has been known to put the plane into sudden uncontrollable situations before the pilots can react and disconnect the auto-pilot and take manual control using his hands and feet on the yoke and rudder pedals.  The plane pitches-up and stalls, or it rolls inverted then crashes and in many cases killing a hundred or so people at one time.  The word “SUDDEN” is the key word.  Crash investigations on TV’s (Air Disasters) tell of this.  Professional pilots are trained in emergency procedures. The rub comes in sometimes when a pilot is fatigued and is slow to react.

In an Indonesian airlines crash killing several people; in checking the pilots flight schedule after the crash, he had flown 41 hours without sleep!  Fatigue, among other things, in flying can cause a phenomenon called, “situation disorientation.” 

Plainly put, you can’t think what to do when something goes bonkers…like leaving your wife standing in the driveway with labor pains ten seconds apart, while you head for the hospital. 

The U.S. Federal Aviation Agency only allows airline pilots to fly so many hours a week.  Sadly, as you may know, this regulation, like a lot of others, by airline operators push pilots to fly more hours than legal.

This cuts down on turn-around time and means more profits for the airline owners, and operators.  “When an airliner is sitting on the ground it is LOSING MONEY, is the operator’s motto.  Some airline companies ever reward pilots, who will fly beyond legal limits, with bonuses. 

There are cases on record where crashes happened when pilots pressed-on after take-off, knowing something is not right with the airplane.  They were frowned upon if they turned back to their airport to have the trouble seen about.  This happens often with smaller airlines and poor maintenance.  But GREED is the bottom-line.  ‘MONEY’

Kindest Regards……