Originally Posted by
pilot64golfer
Diminishing returns. If 2 is "more safe" than 1, then 3 is "more safe" than 2! Therefore, we are being "less safe" by not checking it 3 or 4 times. Why not just add it to every checklist? Check it every 1,000' in climb and descent.
How many times do we need to check an altimeter? If you checked once and its where you wanted it, and no one changed it, it should still be the same.
If your argument is "well maybe they missed it the first time" then that is a different problem altogether. The risk is also that they could have the proper setting the 1st time, but they change it to a wrong setting the 2nd time. So maybe a 3rd check will check if they did that.
How many times do we need to check the MCP?
BTW, on the approach descent you check only the altimeter, on the approach you check altimeter and minimums.
You can argue it's an annoyance but can't argue safety because if anything it errs on the safe side. And if you are arguing for checking the MCP more than once you can't argue against this practice either.