Originally Posted by
Stuka Child
..........If one flies for a living, it is reasonable to assume that this person finds some meaning in flying. Otherwise why do it in the first place?
For all the people saying "why would we choose the extra workload etc" I just want to ask "but don't you enjoy flying? Are you not addicted to your aircraft and the way it moves? And the way you make it move?"
If someone has to force pilots to hand-fly, I would question what they're doing there in the first place.
The conductor of an orchestra does not play the actual instruments, yet coordinates and produces an amazing piece of music.
Flying a large passenger jet is like conducting an orchestra and not the same as flying say, a Pitts special or a Tigermoth. In those smaller aircraft the very point of them is to hand fly. In the larger passenger jet the purpose is to get your passengers from A to B as smoothly, professionally and as efficiently as possible.
You say you use SatNav when making deliveries, which is similar to us using the FMGCS to conduct a passenger flight.
I started on very basic turbo props with no automatics at all which was fine, but nowadays my flying enjoyment (of large passenger jets) is more as a conductor. It is immensely satisfying to be up in the atmosphere in my shirt sleeves operating a large modern jet across continents through mostly key presses and knob twiddling. It's more about strategy and I don't feel the need to hand fly for hours on end.
BUT if ATC brings me in above the glide slope, I find the easiest thing is to drop the automatics and hand fly. And I still really enjoy hand flying a turbulent crosswind approach, flare and landing. It is great fun and gives me a strong sense of satisfaction.
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