My comments might have little value "over there" (coming from the US....), but even for our short enroute legs, Captains sometimes refuse a plane with an inop autopilot (vertical gyro blah blah..). Considering that there might be one or two altitude restrictions at a large airport with the other pilot quite busy (no FE and no automation
), even after 10,000 hours of flying (each), the flying pilot could bust an altitude or make a navigation error.
If the FO and I both agree that the weather everywhere is good and we are only flying one leg to a smaller airport with little traffic, then with an inop autopilot it usually is no big deal. But we can't both look away from the flight instruments in order to brief an approach, look at a bizarre runway/taxiway layout (Providence/ PVD or Cleveland/CLE?) to review where to hold short, or even unfold our enroute Jepp. charts etc. If the stabilizer trim motor ever overheats, then flying WOULD become awkward.
We can refuse for an inop autopilot, auto pressurization, or APU-especially where the enroute weather is not good, and no questions asked, by contract. Even with other inop systems, i.e. anti-skid or inop thrust reverser on slippery runways etc.
