Centaurus,
1201alarm;
Then the chinese seem to put emphasize on manual skills in their checkrides, don't know how they handle it in daily ops though.
I would surely like to believe this, but I have several colleagues / friends instructing at various Asian carriers and am informed that they are
by no means "emphasizing" manual flight in the sim, even after San Francisco. "Engagement of the autoflight systems is expected immediately after liftoff; no one disconnects", is what I am hearing. A strict though informal social/military hierarchy also appears to be observed; such would affect cockpit dynamics and decision-making processes. In addition, the Asians continue to use flight data analysis programs to punish and even fine (as in $$ fines) pilots for "transgressions", an unbelievably unenlightened approach to flight safety processes and procedures.
I have friends at Emirates - I believe it is the same standard.
I can't speak regarding EJ or European carriers' approach to autoflight policies. I would expect that they'd be "enlightened", perhaps more than N.American carriers but I just don't know. I know again from friends that some S.American carriers are "enlightened", (eg., Lan Chile) but do not know to what extent manual flight is practised.
I would again surely like to believe it, but, in my view, no airline really "gets it", primarily because they believe that they can't afford to; it is true some are better than others but I would not accept that "the tide has turned" until I saw actual performance data from each carrier supporting the claim - big study I know, but the claim is equally big.
Perhaps we could hear from those doing the daily work - that would be a good start.
In my view, many airlines are afraid to turn their pilots loose with the controls even as they may (or may not) have automation policies.
Now we have to quickly acknowledge that reduced navigational separation standards to pack more airplanes into busier airspaces demands more accurate tracking and speed control and it is wise to engage the autoflight systems otherwise one is indeed asking for trouble. But this is mere "guidance for wise men* and obvious, (or should be!) So the engagement of autoflight systems becomes a habit even when the opportunity for manual flight practise is presented.
I am keeping in mind also, safetypee's
post, regarding how society itself has changed, and how it has changed us regarding the automation of routine processes. If I may interpret, (and be corrected by s.p. as needed!), the emphasis shifts to managing flight which concurrently requires the same levels of high situational awareness skills but by design de-emphasizes manual skills. I am not in disagreement with this shift in primary requirements recognized and commented upon in the post, except that when required, manual skills need to be there, supported of course, by some understanding of the subjects mentioned in the
previous post.
In shorter words, I would not advocate a return to manual flight. Automation, particularly the Airbus design, is almost certainly the greatest contribution to the enhancement of flight safety since EGPWS & TCAS. It's just that many if not most carriers treat automation as the third pilot, (or even the second pilot!), and not the toolkit that it is, (notwithstanding original intentions by the manufacturers).
*
it's a saying; obviously it applies to all genders...