Agree with the above, by flying manual you are effectively removing one pilot from the flight deck, as the PM now needs to monitor the PF instead of the PF monitoring the automatics, leaving the PM with more capacity for general situational awareness.
That said if the situation permits ie VMC and uncongested airspace manual flying keeps handling skills up to standard.
But if I was on an ILS and the PF disconnects the automatics in IMC and turns off the flight directors that would take me out my comfort zone.
Serious thread drift...
so any new news on numbers leaving/left or other related rumours ?