Originally Posted by
B317
Let me ask this, If they were 20 minutes into the flight and the A/P quit should they have continued? Many of you seem to think that Capt's Authority means we can't be held accountable for our actions. If a pilot can't hand fly an aircraft for a couple hours, then they need to rethink the profession they have chosen. How many pilots fly everyday in aircraft with no A/P installed? Are those aircraft considered dangerous because of no autopilot?
There is a BIG difference between a MX problem occurring in flight, and one occurring before you even board the aircraft.
But as stated by others, this is not about a pilot being able to fly with an autopilot or not. We do not have all of the information this captain did at the time of his decision. We also do not know how tired the he was, we do not know how competent or fatigued his F/O was. This is about a company trying to erode captains authority. And we should all be appalled at the fact a captain is faced with suspension and forfeiting of pay for exercising his federally granted authority.