"piloting can't be taught, it must be experienced"
Do you seriously think the designers didn't have experienced pilots on their teams? The computer logic will take into account all rules of physics regarding flight and can make calculations a thousand times faster than a human. HAL can also be programmed with anticipatory logic so that if one sensor is providing eroneous data he can figure out what is going on. Like humans, if he has been made totally blind, then he can no longer perform safely and so he hands back control...usually at the worst moment. The false logic of some commentators here is that because a computer can't cope in every situation, a human pilot would be safer in every situation. Realistically, I don't think pilots would want the autopilot tripping off everytime the aircraft entered a few bumps.
Edit - I understand the point that is being made by some i.e. that HAL is a bad loser and won't give back control until the last possible moment...at which point the aircraft is on the edge of its flight envelope...but there is an off switch.