Automation vs Seat-of-the-pants-flying
I'd like to point out to our OP that he might want to learn a few things about flying before making such a post, or such a title.
The thread is headed by a false dichotomy.
Seat-of-the-pants flying can get you killed whether you have automation or not. Death spiral in IMC flying due to failure to have an instrument scan working, or the correct instruments available for IMC flying, has nothing to do with automation, or its lack. RIP JFK's son.
Automation can kill you if you don't know how it works and make an incorrect choice, regardless of what flight regime you are in.
If the tension you wish to explore is between hand flying and automation, fine.
Seat of the pants is THE WRONG TERM to use here. Use of an integrated scan is what professional pilots apply when hand flying.
That is all.
Last edited by Lonewolf_50; 26th Jul 2013 at 13:16.