I'm reading about single pilot rated aircraft, like that of a Cessna Citation properly equipped. Yet, the lingering question on my mind is how if the plane is aptly equipped can the efis be used in a manner that allows the PIC to use both displays? One display dedicated as the Pilot's primary flight system and the other as a guidance system. I expect if the FMS is fully programmed with the flight route, frequencies and so forth, some of that information would serve a pilot well if it could be seen in an advanced staging (look ahead) mode as well.
In short, I would like to see a system that effectively allowed me to program the co-pilots duties and to have a display in place that allowed me to visually track the information. As I see it now. I have a plane equipped for a pilot and a co-pilot, using identical displays. Only, no Co-pilot and still lacking the adaptation to change the co-pilots configuration to better accommodate the extended duties of the PIC.
I think much more can be done as the automation process becomes more integrated and as such, more display area is needed to accurately track the (autonomous) procedures all of the systems are following.
In the instance of a recent Citation reportedly losing an attitude indicator with three onboard, there is certainly a need to revamp the current school of thought of having redundant systems. If the attitude indicator as seen in the EFIS is actually slaved to a micro-processor that is feeding each EFIS, then the one (gyro) attitude indicator is logically used to calibrate the electronic attitude indicators. I would program the (gyro) attitude indicator to light up when a fault is traced to either of the EFIS units.
This would be the starting point of how I would build a display system that was slaved to an electronic system. I would create default paths back to the static/forced ram air systems and as mentioned the (gyro) or (laser) attitude indicators to illuminate when a system fault was detected in conjunction with the warning light system.
Instead of a light that showed the de-ice system was on. I would also want an indicator that detected icing conditions and build-up, so I knew that de-icing has or is taking place.
The entire electronic system would read back to a flight following center in order to track the flight, and to then log the real time performance of the aircraft. In time, the system would be built out much like the internet and offer a WiFi like service at airports where updates to the system could be downloaded or patched, and flight plans could then be determined from such an information system to assist in pre-flight and post-flight ops. When a crew change is made the new crew has up to the minute real time data, or that the owner operated plane is briefed as to the ready state of the flight plan, and systems.