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Until and unless - and probably after - the black boxes of AF 447 are found, argument and debate over the cause of the crash will dominate all discourse. Of course it’s ridiculous to call the brand or any one of its products a “lemon,” but it is certainly worthwhile to consider whether or how the unique characteristics of the plane may have contributed to its end. Patrick mentions two factors that have received attention (the composite tail that sometimes disengages cleanly from the rest of the aircraft and the highly automated systems.) Given that most aircraft accidents are the result of a series of events or failures, not of one catastrophic failure, it is very reasonable to consider the possibility that one or both of these unique Airbus features played a significant role in the disaster.
