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FAA Urges Maintenance Of Manual Flight Skills
Autopilots and autothrottles commonly used on modern aircraft are useful tools may have already led to degraded piloting skills, according to the FAA, which earlier this month released a safety alert to encourage manual flight operations. In a Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) the FAA said flight operations data has identified "an increase in manual handling errors." And, says the FAA, continuous use of automated systems "could lead to degradation of the pilot's ability to… (www.avweb.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
We rely upon too much automation for everything, from passenger check in online or at the airport kiosks to how the pilots fly the planes...interesting!!
The pilots of yesteryear are a different breed then the crop of todays fliers. If you had a chance to listen to the ATC audio tapes of the United DC10 crash in Sioux City, Captain Hayes was handling a near certain disaster with the calmness of a person about to do a normal landing without any hydralics! The pilots of today are type certified in simmulators. Granted the simulators are excellant, but with todays automated systems, pilots relie too much on them. That was perhaps the cause of the Air France loss of the Airbus near South America.
They will have to beat the airlines over the head with this one as most of their procedures are set down in writing for the Pilots to follow, most in the name of saving fuel, and that is how airframers and engine people are selling them too.AND, a pilot must follow these bean counters directives if they like their job. Personally, I always liked, and still do, getting of the ground and some working altitude in case something went sour.
I commented a couple of months ago about current generation vs. pilots from within the past 20 years and got shot down. Change is good, but today's pilots changes are headed for a great part, in the wrong direction...
The 707 (C-135) was a thrill to drive. No automation at all except altitude hold. When the fuel burned and the plane got lighter, shock waves on the wings would alert you to pull back on the throttles. Back in the late 1950s, early 60s, you had to fly the plane. No GPS, no LORAN, nothing to guide you over water except a periscope sextant, if your navigator was good enough. It is so unbelievable how easy it is to get type rated today in a modern multi-engine crate.
I really didn't get into one as a no nothing FE until about 73 and it was the civilian version but there wasn't a lot of difference than what you say. Eventually worked my way to left seat after paying dues for several years and then went from it into a 757. The difference was like daylight and dark.
Reading Ernest Gann's Fate is the Hunter now....mind blowing