Can EFIS / EFMS lead to removing basic safety checks?

-----Original Message-----
From: Sam Spade ]
Posted At: Saturday, September 02, 2006 4:03 AM
Posted To: rec.aviation.ifr
Conversation: Can EFIS / EFMS lead to removing basic safety checks?
Subject: Can EFIS / EFMS lead to removing basic safety checks?

Jim Carter wrote:


I heard some retired commuter pilot on the news last weekend
suggesting
that the only way to prevent this in the future is to put traffic
lights
(stop / go) on the end of every runway. I absolutely got the
impression
that he was there to convince the public that it is almost
impossible
for the pilots to get it right and the lack of the traffic signal
was
the whole cause of the problem. Sort of the typical "not my fault"
attitude.

If he thinks that is the only way, he is clueless.

My sentiments exactly Sam.

My question was more along the lines of new systems removing old safety
checks, but no one seems to be addressing that. Is there any physical
action that must be taken as an aircraft with and EFIS / EFMS moves into
position for takeoff to assure that the compass / gyro (or suitable
substitute) / display all agree on the runway heading? Could the modern
glass cockpits be setting us up for incidents or accidents because
insidious little actions we used to take with analog panels aren't
necessary any more?