Originally Posted by Icebreaker
Couldn't agree more with Crit Winge.
The modern day jets are designed to be flown with the automation, with pilots 'supervising' and programming. Why should the operation's overall safety level be degraded just to satisfy the pilot's desire for personal satisfaction. You've just got to compare the human errors when hand flying with 'george' operating - eg. level busts.
You guys that want to hand fly all the time, why not go to your local flying club and hire a Cessna? Or find a job on a 727? Nobody is forcing you to fly a heavy, modern jet.
So lemme get this straight, you think that hand flying an approach is less safe than the autopilot?! WTF?!
If you spent anytime flying for a commuter in A/C that had no autopilot you might have a higher opinion of what pilots actually do. Which is fly airplanes. Think 8 approaches to mins everyday all day.This arguement is totally inane!
Every pilot in the room say it with me now " I am paid to FLY airplanes! Every system in the aircraft is to ultimately AUGEMENT my skill!"
Remember for many decades there were airplanes with no autopilots or dare I say it FMSs and the pilots managed to operate aircraft safely. GO read Fate is The Hunter sometime.
It seems like many have adopted the idea that a good pilot is someone who can prattle off obscure tidbits about a particular aircraft system or radar wave lengths. That's way off we can all stand to continually excerise our skills. Its not bloody training!
As an aside doe EK conduct IOE or some type of line qualification for their intial pilots?