DB, I think you have me wrong here - I am agreeing totally with you that training to use the autopilot in DVE is essential - that is exactly what we do.
But, I am also advocating that sufficient additional training is given to ensure that hand flying skills are kept polished.
We want to avoid the pilot becoming a slave to the AP; he should be confident enough to over-ride it if it malfunctions rather than letting it crash the aircraft because SOPs mandate its use at all times.
The crashes you catalogue could probably have been avoided with better use of AP modes but ultimately their hand flying techniques and skills (or lack thereof) got them into a situation where those skills ran out (the old cliff-edge of ability and task saturation).
Oh SERF - you'll find some areas of the military are required to fly in weather conditions (day or night) when no-one else is
