Originally Posted by
Old and Horrified
As a co-pilot in (shorthaul) BA many years ago I hated it. It was one of the reasons I left, but that is another story...... The big surprise to me is that the old BOAC guys took it on as well.
As for fully coupled approach down to a couple of hundred feet on a nice day - why?
Can't remember , as an old BOAC guy myself, seeing that monitored approach EVEN after BOAC became BA.
I cannot understand why any airline would insist on automatics being used at all times.
I used to enjoy hand flying my 75/76 when conditions allowed, believing that I MIGHT, just MIGHT one day , have to take one into , eg, Keflavik, in poor weather, at 3 o'clock in the morning, on one engine, little or no automatics, on a non precision approach.
That would not be the time to refresh manual handling skills !