A hand flown visual approach with all the config changes, and MK.1 eyeball descent path until intecepting whatever aids are provided, will do far more to keep skills honed than the departure profiles ever will. Yet this is discouraged
With automation rammed down pilots throats is it any wonder that many are too frightened to chance their arm at hand flying.
Example and this happened:
F/O announces with deep breath he will hand fly a visual approach down the ILS. At that point, aircraft is 20 miles from touch down in CAVOK and approaching the localiser on radar vectors. Captain says go ahead my boy - fill your boots and good to see some initiative (or words to that effect). Aircraft still steadily tracking towards centreline when captain says when are you going to hand fly like you said you wanted to?
Steady on sez the PF - I ain't gonna hand fly until the autopilot has locked on to the localiser just in case I fly through the centreline...
AP locks on the localiser and a tremulous PF announces he is going to disengaged the AP and (shudder) hand fly the approach. . Click-click goes the autopilot disconnect and captain says aren't you going to switch off the flight director for your hand flown approach?
You must be kidding says the second in command - I might go unstable - anyway I'm leaving the FD on all the way down in case there is a go around....
That is what blind automation does for your confidence.