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Judging by the various comments in this thread, it makes me wonder if airlines permit their crews to fly an ILS manually, anymore? Is it that dangerous to do so? Or is that for CAVOK approaches only?
Yes,thanks god.
I do it each day i fly to base,about 15/20 mins of manual,no FD...done a go around raw data at 50 feet due to a blocked runway,yeah an extra 10-15 of manual.
We not only do it but enjoy it but yes some who dont do it may find it stressful rather than enjoyable.
De Facto does manual flying with no FDs. He is one of the few these days, who can do it. Only few airline captains today are confident enough to fly without FDs or are able to "see through the FDs. There is a real jungle out there.
As the Airbus training " airbus philosophy" used to say: Captain does not need to be a good pilot, he needs to be a good manager. Thankfully they stopped saying that after AF447. Most captains cannot fly basic ILS without FDs even when they are fresh. Now imagine adding fatigue to it. It is a very sad state of the industry. But if any demanding flying need to be done close to the ground, for example a go around with an early turn, the outcome will be shaky even with the well rested majority of captains. Many of you guys who read this post, you know your limits and your low level of flying skills. Yes you are very afraid of simulator checks. But I am not blaming you. I am blaming the management. Because I know that if you were exposed to the right kind of training, you would improve very quickly. But the ambitious guys in the training management are most of the time not real instructors. Yes, legally they are instructors. But airline instructor gets only few days of CRM teaching techniques, but was never trained on how to teach flying. And the airlines are full of non-instructors. Flying by hand is considered dangerous. And rightly so. Because if the pilots lost their basic skill, it is dangerous. But if you know how to fly, it is easy. Anytime lack of flying skill is discussed in airlines, most people are quiet. These days it is so normal, not having a basic flying skills, if you are an airline captain. And airlines do not teach it. They prefer to mindlessly punish people for infractions on FDRs. Simulators are used for teacing complicated procedures, which could be discussed in a classroom and valuable sim time, which could give guys flying skill confidence backback is waisted in a freeze mode. There must be a fresh air on this. FAA is saying, lack of flying skills is an endemic. but the guys, who can really teach it are not welcome in training departments. They could make the other guys look bad. I know, most pilots who are non-pilots will not believe this post. I have never believed that airlines could be in such a state. Having said that, there are few exceptions, where the training is good. But most of the captains, who are regularly flying passengers these days do not have the private pilot basic flying skills! That could be easily fixed in the sim and on the line. Guys could have confidence back quick. But IT IS NOT BEING DONE! It is a blind, leading the blind. good trainers are few or are prevented from training others.