Worried I AM
Been a lurker here for a few years now and no longer sitting up the pointy end i am seriously concerned about what i am reading here.
Never been a V1 Positive Climb Gear Up Autopilot On pilot - and yes i tended to hand fly up to cruising height and on the way down from TOD around 95% of the time and occasionally in the cruise too where there was more to do than fly straight and level for and length of time and yes i have had the CSC (that should give you a hint - along with the lovely Tartan skirts) come on the flight deck to see/ask why things were not as smooth as normal. I am seriously worried about the hands on skills of the people who are flying me about now. Doubly so as i cant now get on the FD. And yes i have been there as a retiree (i know – I hat(ed) being back in the cabin) too when the F/O and then the Cpt took rest mid Atlantic on a 747-400 on a LHR to LAX flight. This was after having to abort and return to LHR on the previous day due to C/B's on the main and aux bus tripping. Then while the passengers were put up close to LHR the crew were bussed 60 miles away to get what must have been minimum rest at best - all from your Fave Airline :-I did have a wee shot of i think a 310 and i found that quite strange being used to the other style of fly by wire aircraft. Yes i have sat reading the Guardian and the Telegraph on many a Transatlantic flight and yes we had an open cockpit policy ask and generally FD visits were more than possible for sure they helped to relieve the boredom. My nasty weather experiences have mostly been in FL slaloming round the thunderheads in VFR conditions and we always ADVISED a 20/30 degree course change to avoid weather and never once had a problem from ATC and of course some in Europe too on the Ski flights. I am rambling. It would appear - please dont take this the wrong way - but the skills are gone/going fast from the job now - pilots are increasing 'just' monitoring systems and dont have the skills or the experience to take over when the **** hits the N1. Also it would appear that we are entering a period when the experienced captains are retiring to be replaced by people who jump from a PPL into a ATPL without any real flying skills. Is this fixable i cant see how - maybe others can see a solution. Flying now is a worry to me and when i hear rubbish from the flight deck like "sorry our departure was late but we will make it up as we cross the Atlantic" aye right quickly file a new flight plan with .85 as the new cruising speed and "sorry we did not make up time crossing the Atlantic but we will get a straight in to NY" again utter rubbish - a downwind landing against the existing traffic flow - and when I look out the window and see the air brakes at half cock and after 30 mins they are still like that - then i mention this to the FA and get told “its ok sir the Captain knows" and watch her walk down to the aft galley pick up the inter phone and immediately the speed brakes are closed as the SB handle gets latched in the closed position properly- i do wonder where this industry is going.