Yes bubbers44, some people have forgotten how to fly.
But even more worrying, is that some people on airliner flight decks today haven't forgotten anything - they simply don't know how to fly! This is because they have never been taught how to fly.
They have been taught to recite standard calls by rote, without really understanding why the calls are made; they have been taught to follow SOP's mechanically & blindly, without due consideration of the situation to hand; & they have been taught to use the autopilot from the instant the aircraft limitations allow them to, to a moment before those same limitations require them to disconnect it.
They are half trained systems operators, not pilots. And systems operators usually don't know what to do when the system breaks down or can't deal with an unusual situation. They generally push their chair back, put their feet up & call for the technician. Unfortunately that doesn't work too well when you are at the pointy end of a metal tube travelling at 800kph & you need to get it safely back on the ground.
There are many weaknesses in aviation & a poorly trained pilot is just one of them. A poorly trained pilot with a low aptitude for the job is an even greater weakness. However I do not agree with the philosophy in many areas of the industry, that the pilot is the weakest link in modern aviation. A well trained, motivated pilot, with a high level of aptitude, knowledge & professional discipline is far more of an asset than a liability, and always will be.
Last edited by Oakape; 19th Jan 2010 at 10:38.