It seems from a FW perspective that you have a powerful tool in your automatics but the training and philosophy of operation isn't there. The hand flying/automation debate rages this side of the fence too, but from what I read it seems the SOPs (and the technical standards for alerting) are slightly more advanced in the FW world.
I work for a company where hand flying is encouraged in appropriate conditions, and most captains are fairly keen when asked. However, in an approach to minima, the SOPs mandate maximum use of the automation.
In the Boeing I fly, the top of the PFD is the FMA (Flight Mode Annunciator) which displays the A/T, Roll and Pitch modes. Active modes are displayed in green, armed in white, and any change in mode generates a green box around it for 10s. An autopilot disconnect gives you flashing red lights and an audible tone that has to be silenced.
There are still plenty of traps - you can stall the aircraft in V/S even with the autothrottle engaged as it will pitch to maintain the selected V/S in the Climb. It should revert to a safer mode, pitching for selected speed before it does though.
The monitoring task on final is made easier by knowing the expected pitch, IAS and power settings to maintain the path, and by standard callouts. There are also stable approach "gates" which require the aircraft to be fully configured and within speed/profile limits at 1000' in IMC. Are there similar stable approach gates in the rotary world?