ORIGINAL: pmw
Rock,
Yes the paper computer flight plans are a thing of the past, but the same info and acronyms are presented to the pilots on the cockpit screens and flight plan computer screens. That's the info that the guys missed enroute to MSP. There are numerous visual warnings presented to the pilots if they miss such things as SOD. But, if you can't see the screens, you can't see the warnings. Personal lap top computers opened in your lap will block your view of the cockpit screens. As I said, Big Mistake!!
Why were these guys not busy looking for traffic? Did they think the controllers were the only ones who were to make sure they were not about to run into another plane? What if annother ballon boy ballon made of plastic which the radar cannot see, got in their way and injested by the engines? Or a flock of geese? I think losing their license is too light, they should pay big fines as well.