Free flying 747

[lazlo123]

Whoa!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.../ixportal.html

Sorry if this has already posted...

[Tony G]

Wow, sure makes a case for flying the airplane first and pushing computer buttons second.

[spitfire222]

Interesting, I just hope things like this have never happened to me while flying in the past, and then just dismbarked without nary a care in the world (except for catching the next flight! :-lol ;-))

Best regards,
Vincent
http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/Use...4b01663419.jpg

[Qballbandit]

I guess since most flighs under normal conditions are hand flown on the approach to touchdown, this is why the AP was off? But, duh, they must have...ummm, forgot to put it back on during the go-around. That is amazing to me...

Neil :7

[apollosmith]

Wow! If it weren't in the news and in a news source that seemed to get the facts right (like how the plane didn't stall because of the 30 degree bank!), I wouldn't believe it.

What is most disconcerting is that this went on for 3 minutes!!! 3 minutes of them listening to ATC tell them they're off course, 3 minutes with all visual and guage indicators showing them off course, 3 minutes of them trying to figure out why the autopilot wouldn't respond, 3 minutes of them not taking manual control of an obviously non-responsive autopilot - hmmmmm.... could it be because it is turned off????

Pretty scary and amazing, especially for a 747 crew.

Smitty

[lazlo123]

I know, not a one of the 4 of them had a clue apparently... hopefully will be an eye opener for all the other pilots... sometimes problems aren't as complicated as they may seem..

[Erick_Cantu]

Just another incident to highlight my disdain for trusting a machine with no formal training with the task of flying itself.

[link:sgair.net|http://sgair.net/erick/SIGS/SIG_990.JPG]

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[flightman]

Amazed this happened to Cathay Pacific, normally ultra professional, and extremely well trained. It's an indication of what can happen when everyone thinks someone else is minding the shop. Can also happen on much less automated aircraft (such as the Eastern Airlines L1011 TriStar Everglades accident years ago, with fatal consequences).

For a newspaper the report it seems pretty factual and unsensationalised. Usually aviation journalists know stuff all about the facts.