Originally Posted by
WizardOfBoz
I think that the cause of those failures was found to be excessive pilot use of rudder to control oscillations due to wake vortices from other planes. I suspect that you could break off any control surface if you apply enough oscillatory force. So I don't think its just CF that's to blame.
CF is just another engineering material. For some things, like plane control surfaces and bicycle forks, it's terrific stuff.
That was the "official" reports they blamed the pilots. How ever, and that is a "huge how" ever since those Airbus airplanes were flown thru a computer. Blaming the pilot or "over controlling the plane is totally bogus. The computer should have be programmed NOT to allow the rudder to be moved that far. Quit frankly it wouldnt surprise me at all to find out money changed hands to put the blame on the pilot. BTW one of the first Airbus airplanes crashed when the pilot was going to do a low pass. It had the flaps down and the gear down. When the pilot advanced the throttles, the computer said no we are landing. It flew into the trees at the end of the airport, and all on board were killed. Further as a former pilot (former because it became too expensive) on the light planes I flew, on heavy cross wind landings, I often hit the rudder stop, and the tail didnt break off. BTW many senior pilots that can chose what to fly WILL NOT fly Airbus airplanes.