We all know the direction ATS is heading in, but don't sign the UB40 yet. You won't be out of a job for a long time.
TCAS A great system but not perfect. I was on a B747-400 being shown how it works. It was set to display all traffic within 2500FT below and we watched the lights of an opposite-direction aircraft as it got closer, but nothing appeared on the display. Looked out the window again, definitely aircraft lights heading for us, but still nothing on the display. It was only when the aircraft passed underneath us that the symbol appeared on the display. The Captain's remark..."that shouldn't have happened".
Autopilot/autoland/RNAV Great systems but not perfect. I read a report on a B747 that was a couple of miles to the side of the locator on final. Go-round followed and they tried again, still not aligned with the runway. Another go-round followed and they tried again. Yet again the FMS showed them on the ILS but a look out the window said they were about to land on the passenger terminal building. Another go-round and a narrow miss with the roof of that building.
Computerised traffic management systems Great systems but not perfect. A couple of weeks ago a runway sequencing system crashed in a major ATS enroute centre. Early morning, just after the curfew had lifted. The centre reverted to ATCO sequencing of aircraft.
Integrated ATM systems Great systems but not perfect. I heard a rumour that the New Zealand system crashed last month and that the whole NZ FIR was closed to inbound traffic.
...now what cupboard did we put that box of strips in again....?