As you say, Daros2a works a treat, you just have to watch out for the altitude restriction at SOLAB as sometimes it is not coded and must be entered manually. This was my best example. The only reason this sticks in my mind is because years ago I had a bet with a skipper who said he could get the a/c to fly the whole thing from Tombo fully managed and I was a' doubting thomas! I lost the bet. At the time, as a new boy, i was keen to intervene at every point, but I now know that Managed flying on the 'bus is the most efficient way to operate it. I absolutely agree that you have got to be able to do all the mental gymnastics, but that is not the Airbus philosophy. For the new guy who started this thread, he should have already proved that he can do the mental arithmetic in a Seneca or something, and again IMHO, if I were a trainer I would be much more impressed with a deep understanding of the aircraft automation, than any ability to operate the a/c without it.