I think we are seeing lack of manual flying skills coming to the fore yet again, if my gut feeling is correct. Not the crews fault, as they aren't allowed to practice on the line.
As mentioned previously, once in 6 months is defiantly not enough to practice what normally, should be a routine procedure.
We have been for sometime now and will be paying a very high price, for allowing "operators of automatics", who are almost totally reliant on such, to excel in the airline environment, rather than pilots who are able to fly the aircraft, first and foremost.
To make sure the aircraft is flown, if not by the automatics then manually, must take presidence over all else IMHO.
Years ago I was told by a "Chief Pilot" of a major, "flying skills are not a priority in our airline".
