Being a drone is a choice, not a mandate. Relinquishing skills and standards is a choice, not a result or a necessary outcome of automation. Awareness of one's skill level is a personal responsibility. It takes conscious effort and continual awareness; that is the price of professionalism.
First of all, I apologise for not realising that the article had already been published on Pprune several times. A few days ago was the first time I had seen it. In my view the value of the article is inestimable. .
Secondly, the above highlighted sentence by FDM11 immediately took me back to a similar point made by Captain D.Davies in his book `Handling the Big Jets.` He talks about enthusiasm for flying.
Assuming most current airline pilots have never heard of, or read his book first published in England in 1967, then here is what he wrote in the Conclusion. His advice is as valid today as when he first wrote it.
Quote: "Airline flying really is money for old rope most of the time; but when things get hairy
then you earn your pay. The old saying that `Flying is years of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror`is always true. As we get older we all become slightly more lazy, slightly more tired - and this is a bit of a trap. The demand of jet transport flying can best be met by enthusiasm. Personal enthusiasm for the job is beyond value because it is a built-in productive force, and those who have it do not have to be pushed into practice and search for knowledge. Enthusiasm thus generates its own protection. This is the frame of mind which needs to be developed for the best execution of the airline pilot's task."
Unquote