30 years ago I first hand flew a jet (sabreliner). On one trip, we went to max alt, FL450. Hand flew. IT WAS HARD TO DO. One had to dampen out the controls to very, very small movements.
I made it my business to learn to hand fly at max altitude any subsequent plane I ever flew. You NEVER know when YOU have to fly.
Later on in my career, I noticed no one took advanatge of getting the feel of a plane at altitude when I offered it to them.
and when the autopilot quit on them, they had their hands full.
and the planes I flew weren't fancy computerized planes like the AB.
SO, it is really time to learn to fly a plane in all regiemes of flight