cessnapete
I flew the BA 744 for a number of years and the SOP was, when manual handling, the auto throttle had to be disconnected when ever the autopilot not used.
ie manual handling manual thrust control.
Kept us in good handling practice in suitable conditions, why the difference on other types 777 etc.?
I'd agree, it's bizarre isn't it?
With the caveat that I'm not a trainer, but I went 744 - 777 a few years back I'll offer the following (IMHO very weak) explanation that I've heard:
AFAIK the 744 SOP remains as you remember it, the argument for manual flight=manual thrust being that if you do hand fly the 744 with autothrottle in the pitch/power couple could be destablising, ( theory being if you handfly with manual thrust you are knowingly making the thrust inputs and therefore supposedly are able to anticipate any pitch changes).
OTOH with the 777 operating in normal FBW mode the pitch power couple is automatically removed...so, in theory at least in normal circumstances regardless of thrust changes the aircraft shouldn't respond in pitch, therefore..... autothrottle isn't destablising when handflying...., therefore it can be used without detriment to manual flying...which BA management decided to convert to an SOP of autothrust
must be used for manual flying...(because in their eyes it offers another level of protection to the flight envelope). I have to add that the 777 (in the sim at least) is a beaut to fly fully manually, however on the line at BA it's mandatory that the autothrottle is used if available.
During my time with GSS on the B744F
I suspect given the above if BA mainline ever had the 744F and the pitch/power couple has been engineered out (has it?) the SOP would have been autothrottle on at all times.
In BA a retrograde step, in view of the ever increasing accidents happening due to poor manual handling.
I can promise you that BA line pilots have been making this point for years, sadly we don't write the BA OM.....