Really good discussion and points from everyone in this recent automation back-and-forth; wanted to say thanks because the respectful and knowledgable disagreements are a great service to all (and a great example to e.g. the media as to the "right" way to approach accident issues (with humility)).
@ekw -- Just couldn't let you leave it at "humans pushing the risk envelope, due to e.g. subtle economic pressures" without also mentioning that automation itself is a large factor in pilot (over?-)comfort in pushing that same envelope.
@Bloggs -- I'm pretty sure ekw meant "humans" in the larger sense, i.e. not just "pilots". Airline schedulers, ATC, and yes even PAX whose cross-Atlantic desires resulted in these pressures. Not blaming the victims, just saying planes would not even be in the air at all except for "humans put them there".
Last edited by jientho; 31st Dec 2014 at 09:47.