Originally Posted by
AviatorDave
Usually, folks somehow manage a visual approach as soon as they are properly lined up with the runway on final.
In my experience, automation-dependent pilots are a lot more scared by the maneuvering it takes to get lined up with the runway. Judging the correct turn and descent rates and points in time without a FD seems nearly impossible for some.
It’s a matter of needs rather than “nice to haves”.
For instance in Australia at all airports apart from Sydney you’ll fly a STAR or an FMS generated profile right to final. Even Sydney will furnish you with a simple track miles to run to judge your profile and vector you onto final. Visual approaches are still be made on the track of a STAR or instrument approach. ATC isn’t in the habit of letting aircraft join downwind for circuit practice at major airports.
However when you’ve got winds gusting and shearing 25-40kts all the way down final in Mod/Sev turbulence and you need to put the aircraft in the TDZ on a shortish runway Autoland isn’t going to help you, you’ll need stick, rudder and thrust management skills to do it accurately. And it happens most of the time all around the world even in this “automation dependent” generation.