Had this during cruise flight after we had been level at FL370 for about 45 minutes. The AUTO FAIL light was not on.
And yet there are many trainers I've heard of, and seen, who do not encourage pilots to scan the overhead panel using the philosophy that EICAS or CWS will monitor it for you. It was only when an SOP came in that pressurisation should be scanned every 10,000' in the climb that guys ever looked at the overhead panel, and then only at the pressurisation. I'm from the old school that made an overhead scan at TOC, and perhaps every so often thereafter. There are some things, like this scenario, which are not quite correct, but which do not activate any alerting system. It's a Mk.1 eyeball alert. My crew was being line checked and the F/O's L.C. is always a command assessment. At TOC I, as PF, made an overhead panel scan. On sector 2 the F/O as PF did not. In the de-brief the TRE commented that it was a good piece of airmanship and encouraged it. The F/O, of 3 years experience, in a hi-monthly-sector environment, replied that it was not an SOP. OMG! Another example of the thicker the SOP book gets the smaller pilots' brains become.
We complain about low quality instrument scanning; IMHO it's worse than just that. There is a creeping complacency. The same is true with keeping yourself aware of en-route Wx conditions. i.e. always having a bolt-hole in your mind when it's needed. Is it not professionalism and incumbent on us to always have high S.A. of the operation; i..e the status of the a/c, the status of the environment and the whereabouts of your a/c and a safe haven? I'm not advocating a constant nervousness that means checking every little minutiae every minute. There are those who do and it is very negative to a relaxed operation and doesn't necessarily mean a better awareness. I'm advocating an awareness that promotes a confidence that you have a firm yet relaxed grip on the reins.