Originally Posted by
RichardJones
Indeed. If the PF, is not happy with the A/P, or any system performance, it should be considered as an "incapacitation". Therefore take it out of the loop.
However I sense there is great reluctance nowadays to disable the the automatics and go manual.
The best practice for manual flying, is to hand fly the aircraft at altitude, raw data.. Great practice as it sharpens the scan and increased the use of IVSI, as it should. If you are able to fly at altitude, you are equipped to fly most scenarios with a good degree of accuracy. However it is discouraged now of course, RVSM, passenger comfort, fuel economy, loading up the PNF, etc. When we flew cargo we had ample opportunity to practice. What with, u/s A/P's, and no other restrictions and 3 cockpit crew.. That gave the P/F the confidence to take over manual control when or if necessary.
Years ago in Asia, a line check was being conducted. On the approach, the check pilot pulled the A/P CB. He shouldn't have done perhaps, but he did. The P/F was taken by surprise to the extent, there was a major screw up.
That was when, as a Second Officer, on the B-727, I would offer to hand fly the aircraft, on a long trans-con leg, if the A/P was U/S. Later I would ask the Flight Attendants , how the ride was in the back. If I had hand flown it smoothly enough, they wouldn't notice the A/P was off.
Back to previous discussion, I spent years, as F/O later Captain on DC9-32 aircraft. The only time we had the autopilot on was at cruise altitude. Descents, climbs and approaches were all hand flown, even to 200 ' ceilings. We did have good V-bar F/D for hand flown coupled approaches. Busy terminals, like LGA, ORD, ATL, EWR. No A/T.
Next aircraft, B-767-200, flying out of Barbados, late at night,climbed to 410 to clear a line of weather. I was PF, when suddenly one engine rolled back, and started to surge. First thing I did was disconnect A/T A/P, pitch down 2 degree below horizon, as Engine Out page came up. 217 knots. No way I would slow back that far. Hand flew , descending around cells until we got low enough that surging engine recovered. EGT hadn't climbed so no shut down required.
So when bad things happen, you revert back to your previous aircraft. In my case the DC-9; I was more comfortable hand flying, while the Captain did the QRH drill...