Groundhog

Obviously you're not a pilot, so let me explain.
Usually a person chooses this career because they love to fly. By fly, I don't mean pushing the A/P button and traveling from city to city. I mean actually controlling the aircraft as it is making its way across the sky.
Most of us learned to fly in airplanes that did not have A/Ps. All of us had to demonstrate the ability to climb, cruise and descend while maintaining precise control of airspeed and heading.
Flying an airplane up to altitude and leveling off at cruise is no big deal. Clicking the autopilot off at altitude and controlling the descent to make the crossing restriction and airspeed can keep you working. Cruise? Maybe for a short while to check the trim.
Bottom line, I try to hand fly the airplane as much as possible because it makes me a better pilot. I have a better understanding of the characteristics of the airplane in all airspeeds and configurations while continuing to maintain my scan.
I don't turn the A/P off in every situation. Depending on weather, traffic, cockpit workload, and my physical state, the A/P stays on. But whenever possible, I leave it off. Usually the only time I ever see a no-autopilot situation is in a PC. But that's not to say that it won't happen on an actual flight. In either case, I will be prepared. And you won't be able to tell from your seat in the back that the A/P is off.
As far as our FOM goes, it says the A/P "should" be on in RVSM altitudes. It is not an absolute. If I hand fly above FL290, I clear it with the Captain. I will usually try to click it off for descents and approach, depending on the situation.

Now, if you really are a pilot, and all you've ever done is click on the A/P at 1000' on departure and clicked it off at 200' on approach, please let me know, so I can stay the hell away from you.

Hog