Autopilots or Not?
Well there are certainly many thoughts on this one, with plenty of valid points raised in previous posts, and there are numerous other areas to consider when you talk about the use of an autopilot in emergency situations, like - does it have any rudder authority?
As a checker I see the value of autopilots on a daily basis. Sitting in the back of a sim while crews go about handling abnormal situations allows you to observe the value of load shedding in these situations. Instead of having 70% of your mental capacity taken in manually flying the aircraft, using the AP allows this capacity to be allocated to other important areas, like planning, monitoring and managing to mention a few.
Auotpilots are invaluable tools but they need to stand side by side us as flight crew, who must ensure they maintain personal proficiency in basic manipulative skills as well as automation management.
My 10 cents worth on the subject anyway.