Originally Posted by
Check Airman
For the people who prefer higher levels of automation on the line, when do yo work on raw data skills? Is it in the simulator every 6-12 months? And if so, do the instructors make allowances for the fact that you may not have done it since your last sim session?
I don't prefer higher levels of automation on the line, I prefer higher levels of automation when they are appropriate. There is a time, place and especially purpose for every style. But after 15 years of ****-ups, automation has helped me out pretty neatly than it got me into troubles. And pilot skills got the crew in troubles more often than automation did.
In general, there is an overestimation of ones flying abilities and an underestimation of the computers flying abilities. I read a lot of "we do this and that" on this page, but if you would have to grade... it's a bit like navy carier landings I would say. They all landed on the deck, eventually, one way or the other. But not sure if the LSO liked the result.
Enjoy the manual flying while you can, it's not forbidden, but it's a concious decision as well. I enjoy it, I love it, I do it.
Automation is a tool. Use it. I love it, I do it.
Your ego can be a dangerous threat. Avoid it.