MM43 The Ironies of Automation paper gives us a reason that the crew of AF447 did such a poor job. Aircraft handling (aviate) used to be our primary job with navigation and communication as secondary jobs. With the advent of RVSM airspace, there are fewer and fewer opportunities for pilots to aviate. That task is going over to OTTO and the crew is left with the navigation-communication part as their primary duty. These are not unimportant jobs, but when OTTO can't/won't aviate why should we think that a pilot who has bagged just a few minutes flying a stabilized airliner in a dirty configuration down to the runway on a few approaches each month over several years should be able to start up his scan and reliably take over in cruise in an unfamiliar control law.
If you are going to have problems with aviating, it is more likely to be a long haul guy that has a problem rather than a short haul guy. They just have that much less opportunity to practice.
Originally Posted by 3rd interim AF447 report
Consequently, the BEA recommends:
that EASA review the content of check and training programmes and make
mandatory, in particular, the setting up of specific and regular exercises dedicated
to manual aircraft handling of approach to stall and stall recovery, including at
high altitude.
IMHO, If they just add to the sim exercises to meet this recommendation, they will miss the mark. Pilots need to become much more involved in actual aviating in between the sim sessions. All that cruise flying going to waste is a crying shame.
