As a very low time SPL holder, who's flown only under VFR using nothing but dead reckoning, I've always come here to absorb as much as I could from the pros, so as to improve my changes of not screwing up, especially when upgrading to a PPL/IR (hopefully in the very near future). Hence, it's always been my policy not to post anything unless I could make a useful contribution or had a relevant question.
Having read every post in this thread (and deeply sympathizing with those becoming aggravated by the constant repetition of questions and facts), it seems to me that a major theme here is the complacency brought about by automation and loss of basic airmanship skills, particularly among a newer geneation of pilots (something also discussed in the context of the Colgan accident). Considering the advent of ab initio training programs, maybe this is something that will need to be more carefully looked into.
In this regard, I'd be interested in hearing your opinions about the use of head-up displays, an option now for the 737NG. I'm by no means trying to advocate another system layer or automation as a substitute for better training and airmanship skills. A good instrument scan would have prevented this accident. But many have pointed at deficiencies in modern training, not to mention human fallibility. As Rainboe just said, even though it shouldn't happen, all eyes tend to fixate outside when you break out of clouds. In that case, you'd be better off looking through something that gives you some information.
On the other hand, I'm not sure having only one HUD (capt. side) would have made a difference in this case as he was the PNF and could have had his eyes on a checklist. Moreover, I could also see HUDs leading to more complacency, with pilots failing to monitor other instruments (e.g. EICAS). But this is why I thought I'd ask your opinions.
@lakerman (#1392):
Like you and after all that had been discussed on this thread, I was appalled by Avweb's newsflash containing, among other things, this pearl: "The autopilot initiated a power-down of the engines (...)."