I can recollect when the instructors had to insist that we did NOT disconnect and fly manually when something odd happened. Leave the a/p in and USE it. Good point because, when we became accustomed to using the automatics, it offloaded us.
I can also recollect a checker being upset because, on a real flight, when the a/p disconnected at 800ft*, instead of faffing about trying to re-establish auto flight, I flew the landing manually. There was a fog bank halfway down the runway which, on that aircraft, affected the landing not a whit.
I do agree that, with the increasing use of automation, more manual flying both in the sim and the aircraft is a good idea. A LOFT sim session should be TOTALLY NON JEOPARDY. Did I say that loudly enough; particularly for an esteemed Far Eastern company?
When push comes to shove, aircraft pilots HAVE to be able to control the machine manually, as well as handle all the complications, rules and limits of the automatics which permit us to land in zero visibility. We actually have vis limits but that's just for exiting the runway and taxying.
My wife asked me to stop telling her about how pilots could make mistakes. Never think competent pilots are overpaid. If it goes OK they get to go home; if there's a serious screw up, they never work again.
*I do suspect that the cnut pulled a cb.