Yes, but we are not monitoring computers per se, we are monitoring the flight path. In other words, the computers should be following what we have programmed them to do, and one of our many functions in the cockpit is to monitor the flight path and the instruments to confirm that the computers are in fact doing so.
A bit off-thread, but: That half-wit who wrote to the Times about pilots falling asleep because of the autopilot missed the point, as so many non-airliner pilots do. We are not sitting bored and going to sleep because of the computers* - there is more than enough for both pilots to do throughout a flight**. The computers may be controlling the flight surfaces during the cruise, but we, the pilots are still doing the flying, navigating and communicating required.
(An analogy is: a cruise control in a car looks after the speed, but you the driver are very much still involved in decisions and considerations, and are checking your mirrors every 10 seconds and keeping tabs on other traffic around you etc.).
*fatigue caused by poor rostering - long hours and minimum sleeping time between duties - is the cause of sleep incidents, despite what Europe may think, and is something that urgently needs to be addressed if we are to avoid any more Colgans etc.
**fuel and fuel system checks (are there any leaks?); navigation checks; keeping an eye on all the aircraft systems; radio work; position accuracy checks; avoiding thunderstorms by 20-30 miles and flying round them, plotting one's position; checking the weather conditions and diversion airfields along the route, (in case of engine failure, pressurisation failure, or medical emergency for example); checking position and that of others when beyond radar coverage; ditto when overflying states with minimal air traffic control facilities, and/or navigation beacons; avoiding turbulence, special checks and considerations during ETOPS phases; checking the pressurisation and air conditioning etc. etc.
Oh yes, there's plenty to do, and using an autopilot increases safety because that way we are doing all those other tasks as well and not using our total concentration to keep an airliner within +/- 200' of it's cleared altitude, at 37,000' doing 500mph, while being just 1000' feet above or below other airliners coming in the opposite direction!
Last edited by Uplinker; 13th Oct 2013 at 14:16.