Originally Posted by
Lab Rat
I would say because most (of the ones you refer to) have spent the majority of their careers flying non-glass cockpit/non-FMS type aircraft. I'm not saying that glass-pilots are weak by any means, just that the round-dial guys (and gals) have learned and practice a lot of techniques that cannot be or are hard to acquire in the magic jets.
There's something to what you say. Another factor is that the round dial guys have been hand flying climbs, descents, and approaches for years. They actually learned to fly and for the most part, kept at it. Even in the magic jets, if the magic quits, they can still fly the airplane.
It would be interesting to hear how many of the people that say experience does nothing for safety or competence have: had a blown weather forecast at the destination AND the alternate and had to hand fly the approach to whatever weather there was at the time; flown single pilot IFR professionally; had an emergency requiring a landing 10 minutes ago; had to argue with a flight follower (or owner of the company) that the flight wasn't going because of safety concerns; had to argue that "yes, the freight is going to be bumped because I don't trust the forecast and want the fuel"...you get the picture. Some things have nothing to do with wiggling the controls but have lots to do with having experienced some or all of them before. Experience is not just "flying along watching the autopilot."