Our OM is, luckily, pretty ambiguous:
OM-A. "Automation is the insertion of a machine function between the human and the task. The definition applies to all levels of automation. The purpose of automation is to aid the pilot through facilitation and enhanced situation awareness. Automation should commensurate with priorities of safety and punctuality." ...whatever that means
Other than that, it is up to the PF to to whatever he/she feels like ( and the captain agrees). We are encouraged to hand fly instrument approaches every now and then when conditions permit (i.e. not in the middle of a blizzard at night). This also goes for SIDs and STARS.
I also fly visual approaches whenever I can. I always switch off the flight directors and autothrottle. It is quite sad to see many pilots "hand fly" a visual or instrument approach using HDG SEL/ VS/ FDs, and always depending on the FMC to check the vertical bearing to the runway, program all sorts of fixes, radials, extended centrelines and what not. It is a vicious circle, where piloting skills are allowed to keep deteriorating, and I see way too many pilots that are utterly incapable of executing a nice idle thrust, constant descend visual approach without having to refer to the GP or other electronic cues. I even heard that EasyJet does not allow their crews to fly visual approaches; can anyone confirm this?
