This is a good thread with some good pointers which I have taken on board, and Doves and Ancient Greek are particularly entertaining.
The thing that sprung in my mind is that I ALWAYS think about reversion to manual during a departure (Ahead to 3.2 DME, right tracking 345 to ZUMAT to intercept the 041 radial into Pole Hill, climbing 5000') and satisfy myself that should the FMS play up in any way (perish the thought) I am prepared to do it.
However, am I as mentally prepared on an established ILS, even having pre-briefed the 'go around well above minima' scenario? I hope so (but I certainly will be now) but how many of us, once the localiser and glidepath have captured tend to relax just that little bit? Would I have handled the situation under discussion any better? Of course, we all like to think we would but I am too much of a self criticiser to think that it could never happen to me.
Thankyou for posting this thread, it has made me think, and hopefully a better oprator as a result.
And just to let you know what the new generation think about hand flying; recently into Manchester, after recieving clearance for a visual approach onto 23R just after ROSUN, I disconnected the autopilot and put the director bars to standby. The FO said nothing at the time but on the ground made it clear he was not a happy man. Took a lot of calming down and re-assurance from our part B to convince him that no rules or SOPs had been breached.
That seems to be the current mindset though.
3000hrs, probably with the majority doing four or more sectors a day with most of them under an hour. Inexperienced!!??