Originally Posted by
Led Zep
I respectfully disagree with you, although I do see where you are coming from.
The MD-11 is a modern jet, but a landing with an 18 knot crosswind is not possible with the autopilot engaged. Skill better be up to par because you will be hand flying it.
I will agree that the magic built into modern airplanes has made a lot of things easier to manage. But I have also noticed that it has made many of the easy things more difficult for some people, such as hand flying and thinking when the magic goes tango-uniform unexpectedly.
Heck even ten years ago most planes had only an HSI as the hottest thing in the instrument panel. You had to navigate and orient yourself using mathematics and mental spacial orientation skills. If you got the numbers reversed in your head or lost your position on approach you were dead.
I agree.
There are very few opportunities for new pilots to get real hand flying skills. Now pilots just sit back and watch the little plane track a course across the sky and the MFD. Holding patterns are merely a few button pushes. Even student pilots have full glass cockpits. Practically the only oasis of pilot skill left is the old cross wind excuse.
In the near future hand flying will be an emergency procedure.
SkyHigh