Hi Check Airman. I do not know if it still the case, but in 80's on B767 in UK the CAA certified the a/c such that on autoland the FD's were removed. I think the theory was that the FCC's were driving both A/P & F.D and thus there was no cross check of correct operation of A/P. My memory is fuzzy of so long ago.
In training, when I was teaching V/S & HDG SEL NPA's, with A/P & A/T, I made the students turn the FD's OFF. They were nervous until I explained that the FD's told them nothing. They would always be centred. You had to scan the basic T as YOU were in charge of vertical & lateral navigation. It didn't matter what rubbish you selected in MCP the FD would always be in the middle. Cold Comfort and dangerous as it stopped the basic scan.
So it encouraged a scan, AND it trained WHERE to look for the important information on a 'side by side' EFIS. Now, when they were doing LNAV/VNAV NPA"s they knew how and where to monitor the A/P. They even did VNAV/LNAV NPA's with FD's ON/OFF. More Ah Ha moments.
Last edited by RAT 5; 17th Dec 2015 at 12:15.