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!
I have a high regard for F/Engs. never flew a multi-crew aircraft without one, but ....... 50 years ago I was employed by BOAC as a young 3rd PILOT / Navigator, to navigate over the oceans and deserts, but to act as a fourth pair of eyes on every take off and landing. BALPA had concluded an agreement that there would be 3 pilots on every flight deck from that time on. I had no hands-on function whatsoever, but was purely a monitor. Since that time the 3rd pilot, and the Flt. Eng. have been removed, theoretically the non-handling pilot monitors the handling pilot, but both have many tasks of their own to perform, and it's no wonder that the monitoring occasionally breaks down. How do you equate a lifetimes' salary for an extra, non-hassled, pair of eyes against the loss of a hull and 300 + lives.
The Bean Counters have won again - and this won't be the last. The A-380 will likely carry 800 unsuspecting pax. with some airlines !
Great progress.
Best of luck.