I expect the same argument raged when they first started putting a roof over the cockpit.An entire generation of pilots who never felt the wind in their hair.What if that new fangled ASI fails?
Monoplanes? Don't get me started!
One thing's for sure,nostalgia aint what it used to be.When was this golden era of steely eyed stick and rudder aces who never got lost,flew into mountains or spun in on finals?
Someone once likened intrument flying to watching a baseball game through the knot holes in a wooden fence.It is posible with a lot of effort and practice but lets face it it's not ideal.It was only presented on dials because thats the only technology that existed.A map display is an infinately more human centred.Check its accuracy and use it.
I'm still waiting to meet these young fo's who can only type into the FMC.In my experience there is absolutely no correlation between age/experience and reliance on FMC/autopilots.I've recently clutched my seat in horor as a crusty old ex fast jet driver performed an excrutiating protracted auto pilot approach followed by a lousy landing in gin clear vmc with no traffic. Same route next week with 500 hour wonder."there's the runway,mind if I just fly it ?" he says. "Fill yer boots" says I.Nice hand flown visual in about a third of the time as last week.
Tell t'yoongsters nowadays and they wernt believe you!