Just Ask Anya.
T'was a long time ago over Europe. You could see the lights of the various countries from 35,000 ft. Not a cloud in the night sky. A magic moment indeed. I turned to the young lady German first officer and suggested perhaps she would like to hand fly from top of descent using DME versus height into Hamburg - where our track from 100 miles out was, by coincidence, lined up with the duty runway.
Her reply: "Your request is non-standard and in any case I have never flown such a profile - this airline uses VNAV."
Self: "Come off it, Anya - have a go - and in any case, if you have never used DME versus height, how are you supposed to monitor VNAV for reasonableness (look the up word in the dictionary)"
Anya: "It's still non standard - and hush" (points to CVR thingie in the overhead panel) "the CVR is listening"
Self: "Anya - your captain here will help and guide you all the way to the outer-marker. You have to be in it, to win it"
Anya: "In what, to win what? Please explain the last few words of that sentence?"
Self: "Forget it - three times the height plus ten is the key and I will hold your hand all the way."
Anya: "Are you making a pass at me captain - because I warn you its all on the CVR". (Germans have no sense of humour)
Self: (thinks - how dumb can some women be?) "Forget it Anya - here comes top of descent, anyway"
Well, Anya got real daring and flew the hand flown DME versus height thing AND raw data AND no autothrottle, which worked out perfectly. The thrust levers were closed from top of descent to spool up at 1000 ft and a beautiful touchdown was the result.
After we had taxied clear of the Hamburg runway, Anya turned around to me and said "That was REAL flying and thank you - but please promise don't tell anybody - because we were non-standard".
I have just broken my promise because despite what the modern generation of flight crews may think, it really is quite easy for a competent pilot to keep in practice at pure flying skills. Just ask Anya..