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Let's get out of this mindset of "experience is going down, so let's mandate more use of the automatics". Let's increase training and recurrent proficiency to achieve and maintain the skill that will ultimately save our and the pax's lives.
"I got no brakes, man." Latest incident report published in Flight International. US investigators have determined that the speed brakes on a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 were not armed before the twinjet slid off the runway at Chicago Midway. The crew also did not deploy the thrust reversers until 16 seconds after touchdown.
The crew had created extra workload by initially uploading and briefing the wrong approach procedure, and then when they realised the error after they left the holding pattern, they again increased their workload by reprogramming the FMC for the correct approach.
Isn't this the the old story all over again? Unnecessary button pushing when the priority should have been on flying the aircraft? Then they got a flap overspeed resulting in more distraction and then forgot to do the landing checklist .
The autobrakes were selected earlier but after touchdown the speed brakes did not deploy and the reversers were not actuated. So the automatic brakes did not actuate. Still the penny had not dropped until the CVR heard "I got no brakes, man".
The captain then applied full manual braking and reverse thrust was engaged with 1,500 ft of runway remaining - an action which automatically deployed the speed brakes. The aircraft left the runway and rolled 200 ft into grass. None of the 139 passengers and crew members were injured in the 26 April 2011 incident.
What is the solution to this type of crass bad airmanship? Because in all probability it is not just an isolated incident. Some would recommend more still automation. Others may see it differently.