Pilot confidence
Bubbers at 3156: "I think he means no pilot should depend on an autopilot so much that if it fails he cannot safely continue operating the aircraft manually from where the autopilot failed. MAA for autopilot operation should never be higher than where he can properly hand fly."
There have been a lot of posts to date saying more training is needed. Here are some pointed questions that in 158 pages into 8501 I don't think have yet been asked or answered: Are some current A320 pilots posting on this list suggesting that they personally know other A320 pilots whose skill they consider to be questionable or insufficient to hand fly the AC over any assigned route and altitude? More specifically, would A320 pilots posting here claim they would be comfortable as passengers with any other pilot in their system flying alone in the cockpit at altitude transiting the ITCZ and facing a storm front at night? Are the same airline operators that are hoping to convince the public of transparency and system capability also at the same time not ensuring by sim and actual practice and regular check rides that in the event of control system failure their pilots are capable of flying the aircraft?
I can understand that no one who has reservations would want to state them publicly. However pilots who have full confidence in all other pilots they know should have no hesitation expressing confidence.