I couldn't agree more. The proliferation of autopilots and lowcost GPS nav systems has created a generation of pilots that would have a hard time flying with a map, compass and watch. Last year a Malibu pulled it's wings off because the gyro driving the autopilot failed. The TSB layed part of the blame on pilot ability. Yes the plane was overgross at takeoff but he would have burned off enough by the time he augered in to be within the C of G.