Apart from the sheer enjoyment of barrel rolls in the 737 simulator (off-motion of course) and very good in IMC for unusual attitude recoveries if caught behind an A380! - I found the following manoeuvres handy for keeping up stick and rudder skills in a raw data no automatics (not even autobrakes or autothrottle ) situation.
35 knot crosswind landing from 1500 ft on VASIS only (no ILS). This really exposes the difficulty of accurate visual centre-line tracking without the aid of an electronic display. Repeat approach this time on ILS raw data from 1500 ft Cat 1 weather minima. – good for rapid scan, but watch for it to go ape on becoming visual with the runway. 1500 ft is chosen because most simulators can be automatically positioned at 5 miles from the runway and it saves time.
Raw data take-off on ILS runway with simulator visual display switched off – ie total blackness. Keep straight on centre-line by scanning HSI localiser needle. Then proceed to fly 2000 ft circuit and intercept ILS by means of combination ADF and DME if available and land, flaring at 30-50 feet on radio altimeter.
After touch down keep straight on localiser applying reverse and manual brakes. On reaching zero ground speed, park brakes, get out of seat and switch on the visual display. If close to centre-line and stopped on correct side of localiser, beam with pride regretting no one to see what a good job you did – if not, weep bitter tears and try again. This is a first class manoeuvre aimed at increasing the rate of your instrument scan.
Position at 10,000 ft visually on dead side of 7000 ft runway and execute a dead stick landing. These landings have happened. Remember the “Gimli Glider” Air Canada 767 flapless dead stick landing? The captain later observed that if he had only been given the chance of just one dead stick landing in the simulator, he would approached the landing with more confidence. Now is your chance. If complete stuff-up, then try again until within a bull’s roar.
Slippery runway, strong crosswind landing flown from typical 1500 ft visually. This is to give you the practice at juggling reverse thrust back to idle in order to stop the aircraft sliding sideways under the influence of reverse, then going back to full reverse in conjunction with appropriate rudder pedal steering. Sounds complicated? You better believe it. If not, read the Boeing FCTM on the subject and you will see it is complicated and requires good stick and rudder skills. Practice until competent.
Immediate low level circuit after lift-off - the object being to get the aircraft back on the ground in minimum time commensurate with safe flying following (say) bomb threat or severe cabin fire after lift-off. Interestingly, some years ago, this manoeuvre was included by El Al Israeli Airline as part of command training on the 737NG. In the environment they operated in, one can see their reasons for practicing this manoeuvre. Sound handling skills should get you back on the ground within two minutes of the warning occurring on lift-off.
Set simulator up for five mile final again. Switch off all the visual lighting selections on the instructor panel except the landing runway. This includes taxiway lighting, airport lighting, visual horizon and enviroment (city and suburbs) lighting leaving a true black hole approach. Attempt a visual approach with no visual or electonic aids. The object of the exercise is to reveal the difficulty of flying an accurate approach angle without glide slope guidance. In other words avoid it.
There are other scenarios of your own choosing but all with the object of retaining basic stick and rudder skills that one day might stand you in good stead. Finally, a quote worth keeping in mind from that eminent test pilot Captain D.B.Davies in his "Handling the Big Jets"
"Do not become lazy in your professional lives. The autopilot is a great comfort, so are the flight director and approach coupler. But do not get into a position where you need these devices to complete a flight.
Keep in practice in raw data ILS, particulalrly in crosswinds. Keep in practice in hand- flying at altitude and in making purely visual approaches....as we get older we all become slightly more lazy, slightly more tired - and this is a bit of a trap.
The demand of jet flying can best be met by enthusiasm. Personal enthusiasm for the job is beyond value because it is a built-in productive force, and those who have it do not have to be pushed into practice and search for knowledge. Enthusiasm thus generates its own protection. This is the frame of mind which needs to be developed for the best execution of the airline pilot's task.