Boofhead,I flew rhs to a skipper recently who spent the entire flight bemoaning the lack of manual/raw data skills of the young effoes.He then hand flew the approach to such an abysmal standard that we had to go "Visual"to spare ATC further alarm.(I was visual btw-he was simply glued head down in the panel)All the time I as pnf was working like a blue arsed fly.Our level of cross checking/monitoring was halved.The only "situational awareness" he had was on his basic scan.Its the old time and place for everything argument.Our job is to get from A to B safely and smoothly not to impress the guy in the other seat with your percieved skills as a stick and rudder merchant.When the safest smoothest way of doing it is with all the auto gizmotry thats what you should be using.When you start crossing your hands on the MCP and furiously twiddling nobs with a nice empty runway in view out the window thats when you can show us your nice hand flying skills.You have a responsibility to utilise the best approach aids available.You have a responsibility to use the runway most appropriate to the prevailing wind.Taking a NDB approach to a crosswind runway in IMC when there is an ILS or an into wind runway up for grabs sounds like a bad command decision to me.It sounds like the guys you are flying with are using there brains and making good judgement calls in light of all the relevent factors,not least of which is there own ability.The stick and rudder skills will improve over the time if practised in appropriate conditions,thats what co-pilot time is all about.Keep the nail biting for the sim.
[This message has been edited by HOMER SIMPSONS LOVECHILD (edited 10 January 2001).]