I am amused by the complete lack of realization of the current trend of technology within civil airplane flight decks with quote "We can always minimize the possibilities, by new technologies, rules etc."
To my way of thinking, and I've recently completed a career spanning some 14,000 hours flight experience, that the problem IS the current trend of 'new technologies' and carrying complete augmented crews, with everybody thinking these shiney new electronic airplanes are fool-proof!
I have been, and will continue to be 100% in favour of bringing back the best insurance the airline industry EVER had in the flight deck...the professional Flight Engineer!
How many times did the F/O or Captn find an error in the takeoff performance calculations from the FE, none of any significance that I can recall!
Don't misunderstand me...I realize that the manufacturers have "progressed" way past the reintroduction of the FE, I'm just here to tell you that I think it's gone way too far with electronics doing everything for you.
Seems to be electronics for electronics sake, rather than actually providing a better operating environment, because that is currently not the case!
Yeh, yeh...I know that all you pilots out there that have not had the pleasure of operating with an FE will tell us how they are old technology and are not needed any more, the "We can do it" guys.
But it's funny how most of the senior and retired pilots will admit that their experience flying with FEs was/is a much better experience than the current crop of multi-crew airplanes, in many ways.
And I'm not even going to mention the level of airplane operations and systems knowledge that is going lacking in the "modern" pilot group.
As someone once said, "I'll get my own coat on the way out!"
