What HAPPENED in this A350 Cockpit?! French Bee flight 711 explained!

An Airbus A350 from French Bee ended up in a very complicated situation after one of its pilots suffered a subtle incapacitation during a go-around in Paris Orly in February 2020. In this video I will explain exactly what happened and what we can learn from it. I hope you will enjoy the video. let me know in the comments below!

Below you will find the links to videos and sources used in this episode. Enjoy checking them out!

Airbus Sidestick: @ UNKOWN

Sim aircraft by: FlightFactor-A350

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00:00 - Intro
00:36 - Flight Overview
01:25 - The Flight Crew
02:16 - Paris Orly [lfpo]
03:27 - Approach Briefing
04:18 - Windshear! Go Around!
05:58 - Off-track
08:29 - Partial Incapacity
10:23 - No Flight Directors, No Speed
12:24 - Short-term Conflict Alert
15:11 - Back In Control
17:34 - Four Minutes
18:13 - ”it Felt Like A Simulation”
21:12 - Incapacitations
22:30 - The Captain
24:10 - The Role Of Paris Orly
24:40 - Briefing Recaps
25:22 - Reprimands?

[FlywithMagnar]

I fully agree that startle training is important. Here is a story from the simulator: A first officer had completed his simulator training for upgrade to commander, and it was time for his skill test. I was assigned to control the simulator, and the CAA had appointed the manager of flight operations to be examiner. During the briefing before the test, we agreed that the examiner would tap on a pilot's shoulder if this pilot should become incapacitated. We entered the simulator and started the test. Everything went well, and the examiner was especially impressed by the candidate's execution of a go-around. So, the examiner leaned forward, tapped his shoulder and said "Well done!" The candidate didn't hear the comment and thought that this was the signal to become incapacitated. But instead of playing dead, he started to sing and fly erratically. It caught us all by surprise. I never forget the expression of the first officer! It took a few seconds before he understood what was going on and took control. Afterwards, we had a good laugh. And the company had a new captain.

[hotlavatube]

I've seen a student giving a class presentation completely freeze up due to the stress. Something went wrong in his presentation, he lost his train of thought, and he just stopped responding to input or attempting to go on. Eventually through calm talk, the professor was able to help him get restarted, but it the first time I've seen someone completely frozen from stress.

[pudnt]

The pilot saying "Everyone silent!" and subsequently taking control and restoring order in the cockpit saved the day! Good job captain!!

[scofab]

"Startle Training"... my first instructor was fond of this... popping a door open at rotation, and a couple of times he yanked the mixture... I learned not to react, but to respond, and to keep flying the plane no matter what.
Fun times.

[zttov]

It reminded me of me learning to drive. I had this exact experience of subtle incapacitation when I needed to urgently stop at an unusual place and I drove in total for just a few hours at that point. My drive instructor took over, smashed the breaks and yelled at me - this actually woke me up lol

[michaelgranger]

In my opinion, the captain waited far too long to take full control of the cockpit. I also don't get why no verbal or even physical intervention towards the first officer wasn't exercised. The whole thing was sloppy.

[ItsPrivateCC]

I loved it, absolutely perfect.

Very informative, captivating and concise!

[georgegreene]

My first stall really shocked me into a stupor. The instructor took over and leveled the 150 while I took a few minutes to collect myself. I can relate

[greatcollector]

The G/A is always a "startle event" especially if you are not prepared or up on your A/C procedure, throw in the low altitude level off, controller distraction with a new clearance or remember if you briefed the ILS/MAP and now cleared for the Visual... it can be Mr. Toads wild ride. Some say a sat G/A is if you remembered to suck the gear up.

[youcantata]

I agree with the suggested startle training. IRL, we face such situation sometimes in driving car or machinery. Rare situation is rare, but happens in course of our long life. So we must mentally prepared for handling such rare situation. Like sudden hazard or accident. I sometimes exercise practice for such handling emergency situation, purely mentally with my eye without actually acting on.

[bacchus]

You mentioned the female relief pilot at the start, with her higher number of hours on this plane, and said that her actions would wind up becoming important during the incident. But the only action you report from her was her recommending aloud during the botched go-around that they take advantage of the autopilot -- and then the captain ordered everybody to silence and that he alone was giving orders.

So it doesn't sound as if her advice was the significant action she took; in which case, what was??

[johncoe]

I’m working (slowly) on obtaining my commercial license, but I’m terrified of freezing like this first officer if something goes wrong in the air.

[ultrametric]

Another great French winner of the Bonin Award for Dubious Airmanship!

[tanithrosenbaum]

I'm not a pilot, but I've experienced this cognitive incapacitation myself at work numerous times, usually when people come to me to ask me for things in a very short period of time while I'm also trying to get some task done that requires heavy focus or is very urgent. My brain suddenly stops working, it's like everything I'm doing suddenly became completely unfamiliar and cryptic to me and I can't really tell what to do next. It's scary like hell. Usually what helps is to stop even trying, telling everyone around me to please leave me alone for a few minutes, and then taking a few deep breaths and mentally sort the tasks at hand first and only then continuing to do them in order. I think it's probably a good thing that I work at a regular office desk and not in an airplane...

[I_SuperHiro_I]

My dad would always tell me to say something out loud and scan your environment when you begin to feel reality fade. Identify to yourself the most important things you see. It’s supposed to override the part of your brain that influences higher order thinking when under extreme stress. That is, if you can identify it’s happening.

[wazzazone]

Wow a very interesting development. Thanks for sharing this amazing story.

[robertprice]

Will you do a segment on the 1973 flight into Boston that clipped the sea wall? Lots of information that’s missing.

[ranhat]

Good concepts for flying and other times.

[therdid]

This is insane. It's amazing how much can happen in so short of a time. Like it's mind boggling to me thinking about the sheer amlont if confusion and workload being placed on the captain who seemed to maintain fairly good situational awareness but was being absolutely sabatoged by the FO.

The FOs actions while academically (incapacitation) understandable is appealing to think it can happen like that.

Very poor CRM and communication. Has they done a better job audibly announcing their intentions and actions to each I'll bet things would have cleared up much much sooner.

[hansruediherger]

Hi Mentour. Would you be interested to do an episode about the Crossair Bassersdorf Crash. Thanks! Joe