The irony, Vilas, is that in both Air France 447 and Air Asia 8501, there was no automation involved
I don't see the irony. You surely can see I quoted these examples to emphasize that humans have no instincts in air or if they do anything instinctively will be wrong. These are not the examples of lack of automative skills but DXB, SFO and Bangalore were due to lack of knowledge auto thrust/throttle system. A pilot who flies well without automation but keeps disconnecting automatics at a drop of a hat because of lack of knowledge is not a great pilot. A professional pilot is complete product. An airline pilot's manual skills are not that of a combat pilot. Similarly learning about automation is not a rocket science either. It is just the attitude to give too much emphasis on one at expense of the other. Limitations of system can be learnt in a class room. Had the EK pilot read about the GA after touch down or been told during his training he wouldn't have done what he did. If he didn't know about it then he would have been in trouble whenever he got into this situation. Unless he made a one off mistake that can happen it is the price off being human