BOAC, #191
Re last part of your paragraph: -
Where is the 'moderation/reality check' to be? There is little point in seeking additional responsibility without evidence of what the problem is dancing around 'the head of my pin'.
If the piloting community are a cause, and apart from you there are no great shouts for change, then is the industry happy with the current safety level. We still might be deluding ourselves complacent, or overpowered by the bean counters.
In the first instance the moderation / reality check should be with the regulators, who have to balance the public (political) inputs with those of the industry, and of course the facts from accidents.
EASA safety review 2010 a good, safe year.
EASA action plan - only tenuous links with automation (sect 5, automation policy, sect 6).
Avoiding Cbs by a large margin; do we? We may not avoid Cbs by a sufficient margin compared with previous operations with low res radar etc. Investigating incidents in similar conditions to AF447, indicated that some regional crews tend to cut the Cb mis distance quite fine. This appeared to be aided by the use of modern technology high definition radar and accurate autopilot controlled flight track we know where the storms are, where we are, where we are going technological complacency; but do we know the significance of knowing or the limitations of our knowledge.
The Big Picture; many LOC accidents.
How many were a direct result (prime contribution) of failed automation, few if any.
How many were due to crew/auto interface, - superficially a significant number, and of these speed awareness and trim contributed to many.
How many were due to disorientation, Go Around, FBW vs steam aircraft, - there is a mixture, but all in normal non-emergency operations.
If these contributors are all clearly identified, then which is more significant?
My biased, non-statistical rough cut, places the human, and only the human in pole position.
This is not blame, but recognition of human limitations, although from a different viewpoint that involving modern technology but that may just be a part of evolution.
"tempora mutantur nos et mutamur in illis"