Capt. Crunch, concur on your rant (and I mean rant in a good way
). A future of cockpits filled with FSS is more than a little concerning.
Circling maneuvers are always checked in the sim at minimums, no if-ands-or-buts. On occasion, when I've been lucky enough to draw an evil checkairman, I've circled on one engine. Not a big deal in a Gulfstream cause its overpowered at most landing weights.
Automation SOP's that encourage use of the highest level of automation are shallow at best. I like Continental's as it emphasizes that their pilots must be proficient in all levels of automation. It really pisses me off when I go to the schoolhouse and hear the phrase "Captain Honeywell." Sparky is always relegated to the first officer position when I'm aboard.
Automation can make a weak pilot look average and a strong pilot look ordinary.
Also concur with Pope...the SP-50 autopilot wasn't exactly a labor-saving device. We had them in the Gulfstream II; lotsa fun having the autopilot and the FD doing two different things!