Well,
Kaptin, when I was first doing loadsheets, we required a "certain" amount of Flight planning, WX & NOTAM knowledge. By no means were we expected to quote the documents to the crews, but enough knowledge to be able to detect errors in either the documents themselves, alternates etc, etc. When I was last doing loadsheets, not too long ago now, the WX & NOTAMS were automatically spat out from the FAX & I got the CFP off the internet! All I really needed to know & were expected to know was what key to hit for printing & how to put more paper in the machine. When I raised the question of why my crew needed wind charts for Australia & the entire SE Asia region, I was told it was part of the package & too hard to change!
Automation is a fine tool, but when the system sh!ts itself & runs home to mamma, who's going to go upstairs & do a manual check-in?
You are right, also, in the future make up of any airline. It will encompass about a dozen staff, all wearing suits, and not one of them would be able to tell the difference between AvGas and bunny farts!
