Your last 6 words there hit the nail on the head, aa73 !
As I've said on another thread, the Fly-by-wire Airbus autopilot is effectively always in ! - Those 5 computers are doing a lot of the flying for you; (trim, pitch in turns etc.) (Not all 5 at once - they back each other up).
Instead of the autopilot disconnect being between the autopilot and the control surfaces; when you "disconnect the autopilot" on a FBW Airbus, the FBW stays connected to the control surfaces, and what you are actually changing is where the FBW gets it's pitch and roll guidance from: The FMGS, the FCU (glareshield), or you via your sidestick.
If you take manual control, the FBW system is still controlling the elevators and ailerons + spoilers with reference to accelerometers. These are used to check that a commanded control input has taken sufficient effect, (but is not too much that it would stress the airframe). The accelerometers also mean that the aircraft can - to a certain degree - try to keep it's attitude through turbulence. This is why one can get into PIO's - by not realising that the FBW system is making corrections too.
I've found that the key is not to continuously correct, but just guide the aircraft. On the very worst day though; in strong turbulence, or an on-limits crosswind approach and landing; you will be moving the side stick against it's stops to keep the aircraft pointing where you want it. This is difficult to describe, but you do get used to it.
It is not traditional 'stick-and-rudder flying', certainly, and obviously not everyone likes it, but it is easy to do, and ultimately one still has full control of where and how the aircraft is going. It is fun to fly too - I promise you.
I've thought of another analogy for the non-moving thrust levers too: In an automatic car, one doesn't see the gearstick actually moving, but you know from other cues that the gears are being changed according to the conditions and your driving commands. In addition, you can tell the gearbox whether you want to go forward or back, and can limit which gears are used, (on ice for example).
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Last edited by Uplinker; 4th Jul 2012 at 15:56.