[SystemSafety] Autopilot interface?

SPRIGGS, John J John.SPRIGGS at nats.co.uk
Thu Nov 8 15:18:00 CET 2018


This is where the BBC got it from: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5bc73322ed915d0b0349a662/DHC-8-402_Dash_8_G-ECOE_11-18.pdf

From: systemsafety [mailto:systemsafety-bounces at lists.techfak.uni-bielefeld.de] On Behalf Of Michael J. Pont
Sent: 08 November 2018 12:26
To: 'The System Safety List'
Subject: [SystemSafety] Autopilot interface?

A report on the BBC website of a flight incident earlier this year:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46137445<https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46137445>

According to the BBC:

--- BEGIN QUOTE ---

The plane climbed to 1,500ft, but then pitched and "descended rapidly" because autopilot was set with a target altitude of 0ft.

Staff reported that the plane "had become visual with the ground", and the report said the aircraft had reached a maximum rate of descent of 4,300ft/min.

--- END QUOTE ---

I've never had responsibility for the design of an autopilot interface, but I'd have thought that you'd probably want to make it difficult to set a target height of 0 ft under these conditions?

Michael.

Michael J. Pont
SafeTTy Systems Ltd.





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