The Elite........the best of the best!
 

So here we are then guys, its 2012. Autopilot is king, and human factor/non technical skill appreciation is at the forefront of the industry.....

What makes a good airline pilot.....?

I hear so many differing opinions on this, what do we say makes the ultimate aviator of a decent size airline in the modern world. :cool:

Any one that stands their own round and doesn't crash.

The pilot who has the best overall combination of exceptional 'old school' flying ability, and great ' new school non-tech skills' I guess.
Quite a few pilots I have come across are still fantastic stick and rudder pilots and naturally had a strong appreciation of non-tech stuff before it was being taught in classrooms.

Framer has this right. Its a combination of excellent basic (raw data) flying skills and a hunger to keep on learning the tech stuff. A guy who has a power failure but still fly a standby instrument raw data approach where "the outcome is never in doubt"... but also knows his aeroplane / environment/ FMC(S) operation intimately. Human factors appreciation should be a given!

Flying is a degradeable skill....don't use it you will lose it. No one can claim to meet your thread title requirments by excelling in either area.