HC I agree with you, the equipment that is available now is very reliable. I have never flown anything as nice as the 225, the 412 I fly now flies crappy without the basic AP engaged. I am just concerned about younger pilots now are more equipment operation oriented (I suppose as it should be) and they appear to have less hands on flying ability. When the FMS does something weird their first response is "WTF is it doing now" and they spend the next 10-15 minutes with both heads down and pushing buttons. I see this in 139 pilots. They rely on the automation to bring the aircraft on a typical SAR approach and really have no idea how to hand fly it. I am not exaggerating here at all. I do believe all pilots have to be intimate with the operation of all equipment and automation however at the same time the basic hands on skill needs to be there. I really don't know how this should be checked because much of it at this point a matter of perception. Maybe I am just getting old and I should quit calling todays generation of pilots the X Box generation.
Last edited by before landing check list; 1st Mar 2012 at 09:17.