Centaurus, re # 447 (a mis / fortunate post number)
Alas, I agree with your concerns and their origins; however, I do not believe that a practical solution can be found either within the manufacturers’ use of technology or necessarily with ‘more training’ in hand flying skills.
History tells us that it is very difficult to turn the clock back; the world always moves on - changing entropy. The changes in the aviation and social systems are now so great that reversion, short of a devastating rebuild, is impractical.
If we conclude at a higher level, that the problem lies in complexity, including automation problems, training, etc, then a solution may be in the manner in which we handle that complexity. Remember that it is a complexity of our making. We certainly don’t need more complexity as part of a solution – not more SOPs, but perhaps rational SOPs, which free the human to operate where they are best placed to ‘create’ safety.
We should not seek raw simplicity as a solution, but instead consider that the current complexity is failed simplicity, i.e. the problem lies with the way in which we design, train, and use current technology.
We should be able to unpick some of ‘failures’, not by redesign, but by limiting its use, or adjusting the operational environment. Do we actually need all of the ‘bells and whistles’ of some systems, thus don’t train for them, inhibit their use and spend more time on the essential basics of flying and operating.
We should try to ease the pressures in the operational environment and thus reduce some of the human factors demand in operations; would an additional 5nm miss distance on Cbs really hurt the industry, we could ease the traffic spacing on the approach, or give regional operators more turn-round time for debriefing/briefing.
We must try to alleviate the tendency rush, to cut corners, to enable time and opportunity for greater awareness.
We have to restore the imbalance that we perceive to have grown with the use of technology between safety and operational effectiveness – subconscious economic pressure.
These solutions are to address operational problems, which appear at the operating level as a reduction of skills. Skills have changed, but it is a response to the world in which they are required and used. Thus we require a balanced focus on skills training and changes in the operational environment.
Solutions as ever will be a compromise, a trade off. We may have made a mess of the initial technological trade off; we cannot afford to mess up the next action – either for safety or commerce.
Why Things That Go Right, Sometimes Go Wrong.