Originally Posted by
Judd
I don't think it is the systems as such, that are detracting from developing and maintaining hands-on piloting skills, as much as the company managers and flight operations inspectors of the regulators. It also doesn't help when the legal fraternity are ready to swoop if there is a buck in it.
Finally, throw in the culture question where some operators have a punishment ethos to the slightest perceived infringement of a company SOP, then is it any wonder pilots steer clear of trying to keep up their handling skills and stick to the automatics from lift-off to touchdown.
'judd' that about sums it up perfectly! The so called feel good "Just Culture" the Airlines love to feel comfy about is just a smoke screen to screw the pilots!
I try to encourage my F/O's to hand fly in low workload conditions but am forever aware that it's my license on the line when they do! Anytime when any F/O is hand flying the skipper has to be even more alert & his/her workload can be much higher, hence hand flying isn't that common I reckon.