"Pilots" are a dying breed mark my words.Ironically,this FDM/QAR has quite a bit to do with it.Not only do SOPS prohibit manual flying but the pilots are afraid to operate manually in case the FDM lands them in trouble.I wont play the race card but I am quite certain that many pilots will kill everyone on board if automation fails/tricks them.Youd have to have been an expat to know this although its fair to say that automation-reliance infects the whole industry.I find it ironic that one of the first comments was to mention Airbus alpha floor NOT that the pilot didnt know how to fly his aircraft.Thats kinda like saying "Damn,we know pilots cant actually fly the thing-put more protection in instead of train the pilot".Like that Turkish crash..all that convoluted discussion about which radalt fed the AT computer and Boeing was a bad boy for not warning the pilot of subtle RA failure.My God,they even forced a company like Boeing to issue a reminder to all pilots about how important it is to monitor AS during approach.
So it doesnt surprise me..pilots in the true sense of the word are dying out rapidly and a new breed is taking over.One that can program the FMS,engage automation at 500' and sit back and watch.Trained monkeys.No joke,you could train a chimp to do same.Its trained and encouraged world-wide.FDM,actually a safety tool but being misused,enforces it.
Why would a Captain of big heavy metal accept an initial clearance of 1000' anyways?Relates to airmanship,another thing of bygone days.Today you have SOP's,blind automation reliance and big brother.Anyone wanting to be a pilot today must be nuts.