No attack from me, you've just missed the point. The discussion is not about whether or not SOPs are a good idea, the original question asked (to paraphrase) are modern SOPs helping safety?
Let me ask a question of my own: If SOPs change (which they do frequently) then surely we can agree that the out-going SOPs were imperfect. If they were imperfect and those before the last iteration were imperfect then can we really believe that the current ones are perfect? What are we to think when the next update is published?
SOPs and the manuals that contain them are constantly evolving entities. 99% of the time they are the result of a genuine effort made by flight ops departments to increase safety and efficiency. In other rare instances they have a certain amount of personal ego behind them. Either way mistakes can occur. Are we all familiar with an accident which happened in the midlands in the 80s? A new aircraft type and new SOPs from a new management pilot keen to assert his authority. This new SOP stated that thanks to the new EFIS flight deck the pilots knew all they needed to know about the aircraft and the flight deck door should remain closed. Any communication through the flight deck door would only serve as a distraction to the pilots from the task of flying the aircraft. The CAA asked the company to change this SOP and described a scenario where everyone on board would know which engine had failed except the flight deck crew. The company refused to change the SOP. The CAA then directed them to change the SOP on pain of AOC revocation. During the period between this direction and the next manual update the exact scenario occurred. This SOP contributed to the death of 47 people. I think that is rather pertinent to the original question.
The last contributor seemed to think that those who don’t follow the SOPs consider themselves as “the new Chuck Yeager”. I do know the type to whom he refers but writing off all those who recognise a ropey SOP as Yeager impersonators does rather miss the point. He and others have said that operating transport category aircraft is boring. I’d like to say that that’s just how I like it but in fact I don’t find it boring at all. Standard operations are key to good crew coordination which is in turn key to safety. However when a flawed SOP creeps into the manual then blind adherence is wrong. If the autopilot trips off then fly the plane don’t grab the checklist. If you’re not sure which engine’s quit then ask those who can see it no matter what some manager once said.
Kirk out……….