Centaurus,
The reality is, that increasing automation in modern aircraft means decreasing skill levels in manual manipulation of aircraft. At times, rew have trouble doing a visual approach on a CAVOK day without an ILS- Not ideal perhaps, but this is how the training and reliance on computers seasons people. If we fly from ILS to ILS on 15 hour sectors, or now use GPSNPA approaches, it is difficult to be practiced at something that is rarely needed.
Operators in Australia (mining contracts) are still regularly doing circling approaches at night into strips with no app. lighting or slope guidance in medium jets. Understand that it is fairly demanding at times. Even in this situation, there are now straight in NPA's available at most strips.
Last edited by illusion; 24th Mar 2007 at 18:36.