Someone in my extended family works at Airbus as an engineer (hence the throwaway account)
When I asked him about this accident, I brought up this specific point - the mechanical non-linkage.
Sure, the Airbus is fly by wire (there are no "mechanics"), but you can still program one joystick to mimic the other joystick, right? As far as I know, the Airbus plane actually averages the inputs..?? [0]
Anyway, he sorta-angrily gave me the same explanation as I just saw posted here as well: it was a crew management issue. (which of course may have played a huge role).
I am not a pilot so I am probably missing something. But he (the Airbus family member) did seem quite defensive about this. What portion was internalized corporate-comm "we are not at fault" reasoning? What portion was engineering hubris of "fly by wire is unquestionably superior to mechanical linkage"?
I don't know. But I do find it strange... and indefensible. When does the average of inputs make sense? I'm open to an explanation. Is there a good one?
When I asked him about this accident, I brought up this specific point - the mechanical non-linkage.
Sure, the Airbus is fly by wire (there are no "mechanics"), but you can still program one joystick to mimic the other joystick, right? As far as I know, the Airbus plane actually averages the inputs..?? [0]
Anyway, he sorta-angrily gave me the same explanation as I just saw posted here as well: it was a crew management issue. (which of course may have played a huge role).
I am not a pilot so I am probably missing something. But he (the Airbus family member) did seem quite defensive about this. What portion was internalized corporate-comm "we are not at fault" reasoning? What portion was engineering hubris of "fly by wire is unquestionably superior to mechanical linkage"?
I don't know. But I do find it strange... and indefensible. When does the average of inputs make sense? I'm open to an explanation. Is there a good one?
---
[0] See https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4224707 from 2012.
"This input was averaged (read: canceled) with the other pilot's nose up input."
(and further down in the same sub-thread)
"The AF447 inputs were averaged."