Does anyone else recall the TV Eye programme which looked at the Airbus track record, many years ago. I will never forget the quotation by Roger Beteille, Airbus Industrie General Manager at the time. He said, " We don't tell pilots how to fly aeroplanes and we don't expect them to tell us how to design them." He retired in 1984 so I doubt that he is following this thread! My view as an ex 777 pilot and others is that as systems evolve so to do the pilots. You can't 'blame' anyone for being unable to hand fly if they are designed out of the system. The safety record since the introduction of late generation airliners is really exceptional.