Originally Posted by
alf5071h
Pre 'automation' navigation procedure required beacon overflight before turning; airspace design and management allowed for this.
Post automation it is possible to use turn anticipation which enabled more efficient airspace use, increased traffic, etc.
Choosing to fly manually in modern 'automated' conditions requires the pilot to adapt to the norm, greater mental demand, increased workload, less attention on overall flight management, - why would we choose to do that.
Auto unavailability, system failures are rare; there is no need to practice for a rare event when alternatives are available - use alternative procedures, communicate, declare an emergency.
If there are no alternatives then ask why; now, before any failure, do not depend on automation.
Alternatives should not force change on limited capability humans; nor expect that being able to remember / calculate, divide, and multiply will improve flying in surprising situations when automation fails.
Because the pursuit of excellence is a cornerstone of this demanding profession and it is what the passengers expect of us (for those who fly passengers) and it is what we should expect of ourselves. You don't hear Formula 1 pilots saying "oh well I'll just cruise around because I'm nervous about turning corners at a high speed" or bridge workers saying "oh I don't like heights and I'm trying to avoid the greater mental demand of working strapped in a harness, so I'll not punch in these rivets. I'll let my robot colleague deal with it." Don't like the job, there are others clawing to take your spot. By all means step aside if it's not your cup of tea.
Sure if this is your xth sector today and the fatigue is creeping in and you don't trust yourself *at that moment*, give yourself some mental rest and take advantage of the automation which is at your disposal. But if this becomes a habit - or worse, a *limitation*, it will lead to nowhere good. Imagine telling a load of nervous flyers that their crew of professional, paid pilots are nervous about manually controlling their aircraft while flying an approach and that two of them find the combined workload overwhelming. Come on! Even Gordon Ramsay would be disappointed by that attitude, and he doesn't even fly.
We all have deep fears, we all have insecurities, weaknesses, lack of skill in certain areas, lack of mental resources after reaching the point of exhaustion, but we owe it to the people whose lives depend on us and to our basic human decency to WORK ON IT. Whenever possible, however possible, pilots should always strive to improve their skills, their understanding, their confidence, their precision and themselves as persons. Reach out to colleagues, reach out to anyone you can, but you must make an active effort. Settling into a nice little routine and making excuses is not the correct attitude and it will bite you in the ass on that day that I hope you never get to experience. If you are not constantly striving to become better, you don't belong up there.