I can't tell you how many times you guys (ppl who like to hand fly) have oversped the flaps, blown through an altitude/airspeed restriction, lost situational awareness, etc.--all because you're still in CFI mode putting around rural Texas... except it's an EJet--in a congested terminal environment--in bad weather--on an RNAV SID.

If we're taking off in hard IMC at night being vectored and speed/altitude restricted a bunch--and there are red cells all around IAH, I need to be looking at radar and talking to ATC. It's a pain in the ass to also have to monitor some new hire's hand-flying practice session.

The 135 guys always push back on this like "oh I've done this in a KingAir a thousand times in worse weather." Guess what? I don't care--this is 121 passenger ops and there are a billion datapoints being recorded in realtime. If ANYthing happens resulting in an ASAP meeting, the first thing the FAA is going to say is "why weren't you using the automation."

There's a reason the Mesa GOM, per guidance from the FAA SAFO, requires all RNAVs to be flown with the AP on as soon as possible.

It's pretty crazy how clueless some of our "new to 121" Captains are--I bet we have guys accepting RNAV arrivals with autopilot-inop aircraft all the time.

Practice your hand-flying at small airports in good weather (or when you get an AP-inop aircraft, which happens often enough to maintain proficiency).