Gentlemen...
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For the past few weeks, I have enjoyed reading the forums, and educated myself with the new generation pilots and airplanes they fly. Being now near retirement, I wonder if all that is good to the industry and flight safety...?
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Some examples here -
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Nowadays, with extremely accurate GPS precision navigation, and extremely accurate altitude control of RVSM airplanes, when we are "on track" and "at FL xxx", we are really there, not half-a-mile to the left and to the right of track, and not 50 feet above or below our assigned levels... But is precision a source of accidents, in terms of human lives...?
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Months ago, I read with horror about the mid-air over Brazil, an airspace I know well, of the Embraer Legacy, and the Gol 737... The two planes were modern airplanes, equipped with GPS navigation system precision, and RVSM standards. Maybe if they would not have that precision, there would have been no mid-air, just a "near-miss" incident...
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I will admit a voluntary airspace violation I did often in my life, back in the past when flying in some "nearly or completely uncontrolled" areas of the world, such as Africa, Asia or some parts of the South American continent or oceanic areas... My violation is/was to select 200/300 feet OFF the assigned FL, on the autopilot altitude hold selector... I know why I did such thing, as recently as 7 years ago, flying from Europe to South Africa, where ATC and radar is quasi inexistant...
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Half of the pilots "would never do such a thing"... (the "Geeks", the "Nerds" and "Goody-two-shoes" types) and "half of us", (like myself) might have done that. Unknown to me, maybe, I avoided a few mid-airs, by missing other flights by 200 feet, above or below... Not my invention, I learned from the "old timers" I respected
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Another example, about FADEC or equivalent power limiting systems for engines... In a recent thread, I questioned the inability of a well qualified and experienced test pilot of a A320, in France, who, making a low pass, gear down at an airshow, was unable to "overboost" his engines to recover from a low altitude and high drag situation, and ended his flight in the trees, with numerous victims. His FADEC system saved the engines from overhaul, but the victims could not be overhauled...
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Finally, I am at awe, reading about these pilots "forced" or "induced" to use automatic landing system as SOP on all approaches they perform. Where do they acquire "airmanship"... Is it by depressing a few little buttons and moving switches...?
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I appreciate the level of assistance I have in old (soon to be retired as well 747-200s) provided by triple channel Cat.II and Cat.IIIA capable autopilots, but I have tried to preserve my ability to fly an approach and landing manually, unless visibility/conditions did not permit, or if tired at the end of a very long day, or night...
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So, new technologies, but I do not believe it does increase safety, and certainly does not contribute to promote or maintain airmanship. I am curious to read those who will oppose my pont of view... (or share it) -
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Happy contrails