PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Why is automation dependency encouraged in modern aviation ?
Old 12th Jan 2021, 14:37
  #294 (permalink)  
alf5071h
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: An Island Province
Posts: 1,257
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
sonic, #293, I would argue otherwise, yet debatable.
I agree that the flare combination - coordination are important, but would replace 'practice' with 'exposure' in a range of situations. Continually flying in the same conditions adds little to the ability to adapt to other conditions; e.g. maximum winds and / or turbulence, the latter may be the greater challenge
Theory is not the knowledge of 'know what', but that of 'know how', particularly tacit knowledge - gained and improved with practice. The skills associated with this are the combination of knowing how-and-when to adapt technique, and the mental and physical 'gear change' required for the perceived situation.

Hand flying an approach provides opportunity to get in the loop earlier, experience wind / turbulence change with reducing altitude, and gusts affecting all axis - the 'combination'.
Many simulators have significant limitations in crosswinds, yaw - roll modelling is difficult, low turbulence fidelity, and the non existent lateral acceleration for the important seat of the pants feedback - instead reliance on the sim visuals to judge sideways movement.

The view of increased workload is a concern; why should this matter if the piloting task, aircraft capability, and situation are within the certification assumptions. Perhaps the assumptions have been misjudged, pilot capability vs situation. More sim training cannot guarantee improving all pilots, but restricting the situation to match aircraft - pilot capability in abnormal conditions could be more effective - safety wise. Auto flight is not necessarily less work load, only different.

BB, situation awareness
However, the FD/AP (flying via technology) provides a different awareness, not necessarily that for manual abnormal operations.

alf5071h is offline