Pilots should not seek to outthink the manufacturer or the certification standard of the aircraft, thus always operate within the limitations of the manufacturers documentation.
PEI,
Try telling Al Hanes, the guy who flew the DC10 with no hydraulics that, or the DHL crew who did something similar recently. Do the manufacturers certify their aircraft to be landed safely after fuel exhaustion? Well we're up to one from each that has!!
Of course I'll fly within the certified limits- right up to the point it's going to kill me. THEN I'd like to know what the aircraft CAN do, not just what it's certified to do.
And the 737 CAN land on one A/P. I may never use that knowledge, but it's still nice to know!
