Germanwings Plane Crash - French Alps

[TeresaBelle]

My prayers are with the families of those lost. I cannot imagine their pain. I live in Va and heard this morning that two of the passengers, a mother and daughter, were from here.

DD16 leaves next Thursday for a school trip to France with 17 of her classmates.. my heart was already in my throat about her traveling an ocean away. This has me on my knees!

 

[KiKi Mouse]

Very shocking news this morning. So sorry for all the families that lost loved ones. Even if this is not associated to a "group" it is still a terrorism.

 

[DebbieB]

What good would that do though if the co-pilot bonks the attendant on the head? Co-pilot can still send the plane to its quick death.

It wouldn't have helped in this case but it would help if the co-pilot had a medical emergency. I was just surprised that all airlines do not follow the procedure of the FA going into the cockpit while one of the pilots is out.

 

[SallySkelington]

My heart breaks for victims and their families. This is just sad news all around.

 

[Deb in IA]

This is truly horrific.
Evil does exist in the world.

 

[lucky978]

Does anyone know how long they were in-flight for before the crash? I wonder if the co-pilot had these intentions before departing? How did he know that the pilot would be taking a bathroom break? I know - seems dumb but it has me wondering.

This whole thing is just horrific.

 

[mnrose]

They were in the air about 30 minutes before the pilot left the cockpit. Who knows? It could be that they had flown together before and the co-pilot knew the pilot's "normal" pattern was to take a bathroom break after getting the plane leveled off. Could just be that the co-pilot had decided he would do this when he "got the chance" and this was his chance.

 

[cabanafrau]

They were in the air about 30 minutes before the pilot left the cockpit. Who knows? It could be that they had flown together before and the co-pilot knew the pilot's "normal" pattern was to take a bathroom break after getting the plane leveled off. Could just be that the co-pilot had decided he would do this when he "got the chance" and this was his chance.

Frightening to think that "who knows?" might be the end result that comes out after this is examined to the nth degree. It's not that knowing what happened can ever undo it, but somehow "who knows?" is a very frightening thought as an end result.

Speculation is going to run rampant. I know my own thoughts went to the fact we just passed the one year mark after the Malaysian airlines mystery, is it significant, is there a connection, etc. Who knows leaves so much room for fear and anxiety, I hope that's not where we end up.

 

[LAB81018]

Does anyone know how long they were in-flight for before the crash? I wonder if the co-pilot had these intentions before departing? How did he know that the pilot would be taking a bathroom break? I know - seems dumb but it has me wondering.

This whole thing is just horrific.

Perhaps he slipped the pilot something like a laxative or something to force the bathroom break.

I have been watching this on TV and these talking heads saying they are surprised that Lufthansa isn't going to redo their pilot break procedures. I think that the Lufthansa CEO saying that they were not going to adjust their procedures regarding a pilot leaving the flight deck was basically him saying that it probably wouldn't have helped in this type of situation (as previously brought up if the pilot was so intent on making this happen, there would be nothing stopping him from incapacitating the flight attendant). I believe he also said they (the procedures) may be reviewed and adjusted (for the case of medical emergencies).

 

[gwynne]

Perhaps he slipped the pilot something like a laxative or something to force the bathroom break.

I have been watching this on TV and these talking heads saying they are surprised that Lufthansa isn't going to redo their pilot break procedures. I think that the Lufthansa CEO saying that they were not going to adjust their procedures regarding a pilot leaving the flight deck was basically him saying that it probably wouldn't have helped in this type of situation (as previously brought up if the pilot was so intent on making this happen, there would be nothing stopping him from incapacitating the flight attendant). I believe he also said they (the procedures) may be reviewed and adjusted (for the case of medical emergencies).

We don't know what Lufthansa will actually do about their pilot procedures. It's early days right now. I think their insurance carrier will have significant say. This is going to a extremely expensive payout, and they will likely insist on some future risk mitigation.

 

[LAB81018]

We don't know what Lufthansa will actually do about their pilot procedures. It's early days right now. I think their insurance carrier will have significant say. This is going to a extremely expensive payout, and they will likely insist on some future risk mitigation.

I agree. But I hope that the airline does adjust their procedures to cover for the medical emergency contingency.
I was just pointing out that the people covering this were asking the question like if there had been a second person on the flight deck while the captain was absent would have prevented this. This guy appears to have been intent on killing everyone on board and it doesn't appear that having one of the flight attendants on the flight deck at the time would have stopped him.

 

[cabanafrau]

Putting aside media taking something and twisting it outrageously, can anyone who knows anything about flying tell how they would absolutely know the co-pilot was breathing normally?

 

[LAB81018]

Putting aside media taking something and twisting it outrageously, can anyone who knows anything about flying tell how they would absolutely know the co-pilot was breathing normally?

It would appear that he kept his headset on and the CVR recorded the sound of his breathing and it did not deviate from a normal breathing rhythm. So it appears they are going by ear.

 

[Jennasis]

I'm wondering if there WAS another person in on the flight deck with the co-pilot if it would have possibly made him not go through with it. He wasn't violent. He was having normal conversation with the pilot thusfar. Even the decent wasn't a nose-dive, but rather just a steady one. I don't know that he would have become violent towards the flight attendant. He could have attacked and incapacitated the pilot at anytime if he really wanted to.

Having another person in there seems wise in any case.

 

[Feralpeg]

Putting aside media taking something and twisting it outrageously, can anyone who knows anything about flying tell how they would absolutely know the co-pilot was breathing normally?

The copilot over rode something to purposely lock others out of the cockpit. Seems odd he would do that for a medical emergency. More likely, he intended to crash the plane. So very sad.

 

[EMAW_KSU]

The copilot over rode something to purposely lock others out of the cockpit. Seems odd he would do that for a medical emergency. More likely, he intended to crash the plane. So very sad.

To me this eliminates the possibility of a medical emergency.

 

[Albort]

Putting aside media taking something and twisting it outrageously, can anyone who knows anything about flying tell how they would absolutely know the co-pilot was breathing normally?

the door has an override feature. The cockpit has a code where you can input in case of a decapitation(if both pilots pass out, people with the passcode can still get in). Once you input the code, u gotta wait 30 seconds for the door to open. during this 30 seconds, if the pilot/co-pilot is active, they can deny the door from opening.

 

[TLSnell1981]

There needs to be an alternate procedure, that allows an authorized person to override the pilot(s) in an emergency situation.

 

[Jennasis]

Well there goes any "medical" theories...

Officials say the transponder data shows the autopilot was reprogrammed to go from an altitude of 38,000 feet to 100 feet.

 

[JanaDee]

Well there goes any "medical" theories...

Officials say the transponder data shows the autopilot was reprogrammed to go from an altitude of 38,000 feet to 100 feet.

I think it was reprogrammed as soon as the other pilot left the cockpit.