I can't believe what I am reading here! "Without over-loading the PNF?"
New speak for...'I don't trust other guy, so I had better keep a close eye on him.'
Why on earth should the non-flying pilot be "over-loaded" if he is a competent pilot.
They shouldn't, if properly trained.
On the other hand, following the flight director if manual flying the departures will also keep the track within tolerances. After all, isn't that why aircraft have expensive goodies like flight directors?
Yup.
Much of the objection to keeping one's hand in by hand flying, comes from those who are well aware of their own lack of piloting skill, and assume others have a similar inadequacy....
My thoughts exactly.
Lockheed developed the most automated first generation wide-body jet transport (by a very large measure), and where I was trained on the type (nearly thirty years ago) the airline specified that the Commander and First Officer both be competant in both hand flying and the full use of automatics, not one to the exclusion of the other....and yes, even at LHR, which is no more difficult nor easy than at least half a dozen other airports that I can think of offhand.
Today, still flying the 'ole Lockheed airplane, our First Officers hand fly when they so desire, Captains likewise....as it is
entirely up to them, under most conditions.
The exceptions?
RVSM and CATII.
Keep up the reasonable comments, Tee Emm, as a few here will try to drown you out with 'new speak' nonsense.