Originally Posted by
oldchina
Flying skills in the US
What is true of the stories that there is a requirement from the insurance companies to never make autolands for airlines in the mentioned areas?
Same goes for requirements to have a minimum amount of Asian expats in the left seat?
And what about those stories about local pilots having severe difficulties with visual approaches and manual landings, when at the same time Asian instructors are busted when they ground those pilots?
Having flown both in the Far East and in the US, I can make an experienced opinion: The flying cultures are NOT the same.
I did more autolands in one month in Asia than I've done in 9 years at my current airline in the US. (And it was
not because of weather.)
In Asia, the autopilot came on near 400'. In the US, I'd say the average is 5,000' at my airline. Often 10k, FL180, or RVSM.
To think that all that time with the autopilot off versus on doesn't have an impact on flying skill is laughable.
/rant