Rananim:
Over-reliance on automation degrades manual skills,breeds laziness and complacency and affects the pilots scan detrimentally.New pilots are being taught to operate their aircraft via the automatics.You hear of visual circuits being programmed into the FMS.Of pilots asking if they can take the AP out to fly an approach.You hear pilots saying if the vis drops below 3/4 mile,theyd better do an autoland.If the runway changes on them and theyre suddenly 4000'high on the VNAV do they "fly the plane" or reach for the FMC and start pressing buttons.How many can fly an arc procedure using raw data alone,controlling speed and profile at the same time.Or enter a hold without AP/FD/AT,turn the right way,begin the outbound timing at the correct point and fly the correct wind-adjusted heading w/o ref to track line.
Some pilots doggedly retain these skills but its entirely down to self-discipline.The problem is not with the pilots,but the system.We have too many spineless politically-correct corporate-minded DFO's who want their "pilots" to be something entirely different;I think the term these people use is "flight managers".Over-use of automation is mandated into the SOP's and the QAR's enforce it rigidly.If you dare fly an approach without the AFDS,you might get hauled before the safety committee...There are airlines today where pilots simply never disengage the AP/AT.Their hand goes from the MCP down to the FMC down to the radio panel and back again in a never-ending automatized stupor.At 500' they might just elect to fly the last 30 seconds of the flight.If automation wasnt so reliable,planes would fall out of the sky on a regular basis,I kid you not.
Automation is a nice tool and its correct use is an art in itself;but never use it because it can do what you cant do.When you feel like that due to inexperience/recency issues,that is exactly the time not to use it.You use it when you're damn sure that you can do everything you ask of it yourself.
Rananim, I completely agree with you.
And the best way to maintain our skills and proficiency is to hand fly our aircraft in non stressing environments (at your home base or at low flow airports) on a regular basis. Sometimes your co-pilot only needs a word of incentive, because most of the times he might just be waiting for that opportunity to hand-fly the bird. Always include in your briefing the way you are going to fly your aircraft, so that your companion is not taken by surprise. (that doesn't preclude the pilot to switch of AP/FD/ATS in case of any malfunction or misbehavior - but clearly stating so).
Commonsense, plays a very important role here. If you're tired, in bad weather, or in a complex situation, just put your AP working for you. Otherwise, enjoy your hand-flying...Wasn't that the reason why you chose that profession?
(If you're a good, skilled and trained pilot...your pax will never notice!)
