It is way too early to reach any conclusion on what definitively happened, yet CNN and all major news are already jumping on the "Deliberate" wagon based on a very quick and basic analysis of the damaged flight recorder.

Don't know why I'm that surprised, CNN has a history of pouring gasoline on a fire before anyone even struck the match.

With the involvement of the French Prosecutor you can take it as official! The intention of the co-pilot was clear.

Now that we know that this was a deliberate cfit and not an incapacitation, the next thing to determine is whether he was distraught over personal or financial issues, or he was radicalized. And whether that radicalization occured before his entry into ab initio or more recently.

Maybe a 3rd crew member as an observer ?

 

This would indeed add redundancy against deliberate flight into terrain by a pilot, but (and I'm making no judgements on the right or wrongs or capitalism here), every airliner in the sky requiring at extra qualified pilot on the flight deck would result in significantly increased operating costs.    In these money-conscious times, would we all be happy to add $50 to each flight ticket? ...... Rightly or wrongly, every aspect of safety in aviation is balanced with the economics involved.   Otherwise, every aircraft in the skies would have 4 engines, and 3 or 4 flight crew.

 

The issue, I believe, is not as technical as people are suggesting.   It comes down to the 'human' problem;   if a pilot wishes to crash an aircraft, it is highly possible that he could achieve it.   Perhaps more needs to be done around psychological testing and whistleblowing (eg.. where a member of staff can log concerns about the behaviours or mindset of fellow pilots).  Even then, how would that be applied in the real world - suspending pilots because they 'seem a bit off', or not themselves?

 

Just as a very small amount of people will make horrific decisions and go out and shoot people in the streets, even in schools, the sad truth maybe that some degree of risk of pilots performing CFIT may be inevitable.  

The real solution, which we are already headed towards, is towards a pilotless passenger aircraft.

.......or he was radicalized. And whether that radicalization occured before his entry into ab initio or more recently.

 

It would be unheard of and unprecendented for this to have been a case of a radicalized individual - and for him not to have made that fact known during his fateful actions.

 

Radicalized people do not take lives or commit attrocities "quietly" - they want the world to know their cause.

 

Sorry if this next statement is too blunt for some, but if you are referring to Islamist Radicalization, if that were the case, it's an almost certainly we would have heard "Alahu Akbar" on the cockpit voice recorder during his actions.

Have just seen the confirmation of the FO's actions on the BBC News. Tragic beyond belief. Perhaps now the only answer to Flight Deck security would be to have a Sky Marshall / Security Officer on every flight to superintend the solo occupant of the flight deck whilst either of the Pilots take a comfort break?

 

 

Perhaps now the only answer to Flight Deck security would be to have a Sky Marshall / Security Officer on every flight to superintend the solo occupant of the flight deck whilst either of the Pilots take a comfort break?

 

......and what happens in the sky marshall is pschologically disturbed, radicalized, or with some other sombre agenda?

I understand that. And has that investigation to determine that he hasn't left clues, deliberately or inadvertantly, to that radicalization, been completed and cleared? And why does it have to be alar ackbar? Couldn't it be for seig heil, or amen, or the flying spaghetti monster?

A few years ago on a BA flight a member of the cabin staff had to sit in the cockpit in the absence of a flight crew member.

Now that we know that this was a deliberate cfit and not an incapacitation, the next thing to determine is whether he was distraught over personal or financial issues, or he was radicalized. And whether that radicalization occured before his entry into ab initio or more recently.

 

 

The third option would be revenge (on Germanwings, for example, for whatever reason).

 

This crash is a catastrophe for many, for hundreds of people, but seeing that it was deliberate makes things even worse for everyone involved.

So many lives needlessly shattered. In many ways its more tragic than a non suicide crash

 

Even though a 3rd observer could be a crazy the odds would be drastically reduced when there are 2 in the cockpit at all times...better than nothing

........ And why does it have to be alar ackbar? Couldn't it be for seig heil, or amen, or the flying spaghetti monster?

 

Of course, it could be any agenda.  That's why I wrote above "If you are referring to Islamic Radicalization".

 

The point clearly wasn't Islam, but that radicalized people don't commit attrocities silently, without broadcasting their 'cause' as widely as possible.

Why not a door mechanism that needs two people to lock it?

A few years ago on a BA flight a member of the cabin staff had to sit in the cockpit in the absence of a flight crew member.

The purpose of that, as it is here in the US, is to prevent the bathroom pilot from being locked out if the flightdeck pilot suffers an incapacitation. It was not instituted with deliberate crashes in mind. There is nothing that can stop a deliberate act.

 

 

Maybe a 3rd crew member as an observer

 

Too expensive and would only last until the 3rd person tried to bring the plane down...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Express_Flight_705