Thanks for all the replies.
In our outfit ,when conditions permit, we encourage flight without the automatics.
Good airmanship.
The sim time available per annum in minimal and is under huge pressure to cover the essentials and current special check items.
The Airbus does absolutely nothing to preserve manual flying skills in fact i think it undermines them.
I would rather practise on a sunny day than find out on a bad night that when things aren,t working I am not up to it.