BOAC re # 40. It obviously depends what’s in the ‘test’. Basic hand flying can be practiced in most situations in highly automated aircraft; this requires personal will power and appropriate SOPs – corporate culture.
Perhaps those who suggest more general hand flying, but not that related to automation or the situations we might allow degrading system lead us into, may have identified another important (emerging?) issue.
Does thier plea indicate aspects of a lack of confidence which I sense is increasing; do pilots feel that they need to hand fly ‘elsewhere’ because they feel ill-prepared to handle the big jets – even when hand flying.
If so, this could be due to a lack of appropriate basic training or that the complexity of technology enhanced aircraft in the modern aviation environment is too difficult to manage with the current level of training or experience, i.e. not only has the aircraft / technology changed, but so too has the operating environment. We don’t appear to have many Cessna’s fitted with FMS or auto-flight systems, nor those which have the necessary performance to fly complicated SID/STARs, CDA, Cat 3, etc.
This begs the question are we relying on simulations or part task trainers too much; do they fail to provide a sufficient ‘big picture’ of both the problems and hazards of technology in a complex operating environment? Are the interfaces – the links and consequences, of the generally well simulated aircraft systems adequately exercised in the operating environment, i.e. do we simulate ATC or operational issues with sufficient accuracy?
For hand-flying issues related to safety statistics (and the situations we allow technology get us into) I would have expected calls for more ‘loss of control’ flying and operations closer to the edge of established safety margins (limiting runways, RTO). These areas may be technology related, but as argued previously, if the technology is understood, pilots should be able to avoid any hazardous situation. Even with ‘gross’ failures and unforeseen situations (very rare events), the basics of aviation (not necessary hand flying skills) should suffice in maintaining safe flight.
Unfortunately recent events suggest that this assumption is incorrect, – why … I argued that the standards of training and of professionalism are in decline – that we should revisit airmanship.
However on reflection, what if the assumption that the essential elements of airmanship can be taught without flying is wrong?
Do we need to fly to ‘experience’ airmanship?