So it has been pointed out to me that this is a 2-crew aeroplane, rightly so. But one (!) of the subscribers to this point of view also states
"If I'm augmenting I will stay out anyway. I will however take a glance at the speeds and flex as I take my seat!"
Is this, by his own arguement, an oxymoron? Either it is a 2crew aeroplane and we thus trust the 2 pilots to get on with it 'and stay the hell out' or we check critical stuff ourselves. If we check the critical stuff ourselves, as augmenters, then why the hell is he arguing against me?!!
I would suggest that being anti towards the augmenters inthe cockpit either hides a dislike of being professionally judged or that an augmenter may have had a lapse of discipline in the cockpit and overstepped the mark sometime in the past. Nobody should be touching switches except the takeoff crew, unless specifically invited to do so. To do otherwise is a major breakdown of both discipline and cockpit etiquette in my book. Please don't judge all augmenters, however, by the actions of a few. EK should write more in the way of guidance here for augmenting crew as to exactly what their responsibilities are - there is precious little that I have found.