I recently wrote about how a Qatar Airways Cargo Boeing 777 was badly damaged at Chicago O’Hare. There’s now more information about what caused this incident, so I thought it would be interesting to take an updated look at this situation.
Continue reading: Details: Qatar Airways Cargo 777 Badly Damaged At Chicago O’Hare
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
@ Shar -- That was supposed to be the next flight, but it never happened, as far as I can tell? I see it listed on Flightradar24, but as you'll see, there's on flight data, and no flight time listed.
@Lucky - typo before the audio clip, you say visitation but I assume you mean visualization?
All I know is: rarely should anyone try to blame ATC. Only official investigations can make those conclusions.
Even controllers of similar types (Tower/Tower, radar/radar) have difficulty interpreting events that don't happen at their facility. Someone not in the profession.... well good luck.
For my part, while the VATSIM video identifies ORD GND in the second transmission "BB, BB2", that sounded like a different voice than the first. Could've been a controller change/trainer adjusting trainee instructions. Couldve been the other pilot on QR, or it could've been another party altogether.
Then there are a hundred other questions to determine true liability (was this a change, was the controller properly briefed/trained to know better than to send B777 that way, etc).
Plus, didn't QR pretty much admit liability by firing the pilots?
On second listen, I guess it does sound like the same person. Also, I mistakenly said "VATSIM" instead of VAS Aviation
Media reports the pilots (all four of them that is, must be relief crew on board) have been fired by Qatar Airways: https://www.aeronewsjournal.com/2022/08/qatar-airways-fires-four-pilots-after.html
It is highly unlikely that the FAA would ever be forced to pay for damage even if there were errors by ATC.
Airlines are responsible for distributing maps of airports to their pilots. If the transmission was confusing or didn't make sense, the pilot should have stopped until they figured out the instructions. Fixed objects don't just appear out of nowhere.
Time to remove the human decision out of the equation.
My flight sim AI on a $300 Xbox can fly better. That's probably less than a day of a pilot salary.
My car has a 360” camera and if you push a button the computer stitches all the images together and it looks like you’re flying around the car. I’ve read so many stories about how pilots can’t see. That Qantas A380 had an engine explode and one of the pilots had to run back and look at the engine as it can’t be seen from the cockpit.
Is it just inertia or is their a fear that pilots will be distracted by all those external images? I know that workload and distraction is a huge issue. Just giving them more data isn’t always the best option.
Ben states 'The communication between the air traffic controller and pilots was strange to begin with, as two different sets of instructions were given with two separate transmissions'
Actually, both instructions were exactly the same. He says left K, BB, immediate left <etc. Then he says BB, BB2. That immediate left is BB2. So at the end of the day, it's the same route.
Of course, he should have done K - Z. Or BB - BB1 - Z.
Probable playout scenario: Qatar makes a demand on FAA, and FAA rejects it with "no fault" defense. Qatar's insurer files suit for subrogation against FAA, which starts up negotiations between Qatar insurer and FAA. Both sides hire experts, like former NTSB inspectors, for reports, and sides go to mediation. Sides will probably settle during or after mediation with shared fault (a fairly typical outcome of these type cases), or else a trial will be held. Former aviation insurer attorney.
you also have to factor in that Qatar is a major US mililtary strategic partner and QR, the airline, is state-owned. The FAA might not admit fault but, if the FAA is at fault, the US taxpayer will be able to help Qatar.