Originally Posted by RJSAviator76 (Post 3788377)

You should ask some folks who have flown overseas about the relationship of automation overreliance and pilot quality, and particularly in adverse conditions... it ain't pretty.

Originally Posted by RJSAviator76 (Post 3788377)

You should ask some folks who have flown overseas about the relationship of automation overreliance and pilot quality, and particularly in adverse conditions... it ain't pretty.

Originally Posted by e6bpilot (Post 3788380)

Sure, we have all seen it. Sometimes it is easier to just click it off and use "brain stem automation" and hand fly it. It happens to me probably once a month. That's fine. You should be able to hand fly, but following a flight director through minor pitch changes and slight rolls up to altitude isn't hand flying. Sorry. Flying a visual from a downwind or base to final with no flight director is.

Originally Posted by RJSAviator76 (Post 3788385)

Agreed. I was responding to Cyio.

Originally Posted by crj608 (Post 3788438)

Back to the original topic of FO hiring, I see that there are SWA signups for meet and greets at TPNX later this month. With the application window still closed, are these only intended for people who have previously submitted an application? I was never able to get my application in before the last window closed unfortunately

Originally Posted by e6bpilot (Post 3788376)

I don't think anyone is arguing this point. I personally just hand fly when it is appropriate and don't when it isn't. If there is an intermediate level off on a departure at a point where I could be easily distracted (I am looking at you, Denver and Vegas), I am 100 percent turning on the autopilot at around 1000'. Sometimes if I am just bored of flying and want to get my mind in the game, I turn it on at flaps up. If there is weather on a complex departure I will turn it on at 400' (gasp!).

Flying a departure with the flight director or HUD is easy and isn't really challenging anybody. I honestly don't get the flying it up to 180 or whatever. What are you gaining? Your flying partner now has to monitor to make sure you aren't being an idiot you along with everything else. If your skills suck that bad that you need practice following a flight director, I don't know what to tell you.

On approach, if it is late or an approach is in difficult conditions or I just don't feel like it, I'll let it fly to around 1000' then take over.

Day VMC to an airport where I am familiar and cleared the visual, I will turn it all off including flight directors and hand fly because that can actually be enjoyable.

It doesn't have to be this or that. There are situations where hand flying is appropriate and I agree that some of our younger aviators need the practice when that occurs. I am of an age where I honestly really don't think it makes much of a difference since I come from a background where we almost always hand flew with raw data and the 737 just isn't that difficult to fly once you know its quirks.

The flip side of this coin is guys who don't understand the automation because they don't use it enough. That's probably going to cause more uh ohs than any lack of hand flying.

Originally Posted by Turbosina (Post 3788560)

In the training hotel at the moment...