This is unrelated to the compensation question, but I am trying to learn from this incident and I can't help but wonder about some technical aspects.
The following incident report (
http://atsb.gov.au/media/1360789/aair200601453_001.pdf) from another A332 is almost identical to HA 445: Takeoff rejected due to inconsistent airspeed readings.
Note the comments on page 9 of the document regarding problems with the A330 speed sensors. The report lists seven airspeed issues in a time period of three months, three of which were aborted takeoffs! Wasp nesting activity at Brisband airport was suspected as the cause, but the report states that no problems were observed on other manufacturer's planes during the same time period.
Issues related to incorrect air speed and other flight parameters (i.e. Angle-of-attack) continue to surface on A330 and A320. In 2008, (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qantas_Flight_72), then 2009,
(
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/art...idents-327738/), and (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_France_Flight_447), then 2012 (
http://airnation.net/2012/12/19/faa-...irective-a320/), 2014 (
http://www.aeroinside.com/item/4946/...et-of-altitude), and now HA 445, a brand new plane (N370HA first flight Mar 2014).
These are just samples, there are hundreds of such incidents every year.
From these reports, either sensing devices (pitot tubes and AoA plates) or the joint processing of the signals of these devices by the algorithms of the various on-board computers, or a combination are to blame in each incident. The whole flight parameter sensing system seems to be the Archilles heel of an otherwise beautifully quiet and efficient plane.
I will be doing six segments on A330 this month, four on HA, and it would be great to know what HA are doing to mitigate future airspeed discrepancy problems with the A330s (e.g. regular pre-flight pitot probe inspections for tiny debris or moisture, pitot tube covers, pitot tube manufacturer)? How are pilots trained to counteract speed and AoA sensing failures which potentially can occur in both takeoff and cruise?