The full video is also now available to watch!
pilotrobbie wrote:
Would you not agree that using both skills simultaneously is a far better way of flying, rather than using the autopilot the majority of the time though?
There’s a reason highly trained and routined pilots in multi crew jets fly low vis approaches coupled to the autopilot.
To use the skills you mention one needs to have them and fly single pilot ifr in actual imc often.
Get excellent basic IFR training without autopilot. We did this in a frasca 242 (basic T, no visual) for endless hours. When that „stuck“, repeat the same in real airplanes. Flying qdm interceps, holdings etc manually builds ifr hand flying skills and increases the task saturation threshold. As this was years ago I can compare how „sharp“ I was back then and that I lost 90% of this skill by not constantly practicing it. For most people that fly privately only 20 hours a year it’s unrealistic.
I think excellent training on how the automation works, it’s limits etc is essential especially on modern airplanes with more complex avionics.
Use equipment according to situation. Better turn the heading bug and watch the plane fly and thereby keeping mental reserves rather than handflying a busy approach and constantly falling behind the airplane.
