Would you take the plane?

[777forever]

This is a symptom of the PFT generation (at least some of you). Hand flying an airplane is a skill and too many newly minted regional pilots have little experience hand flying an airplane with passengers on board. It (almost) makes you miss the days of the Mighty B-1900 - no autopilot, little automation and some of the best flying I have ever done.

Well with the 1900 you had no choice!

The real symptoms are the companies. The company does not want to spend money training people to hand fly raw data. Its quicker and cheaper to train us to be autopilot zombies. Like someone said before, at least one US major doesn't allow raw data approaches, and I know Emirates prohibits handflying above 500ft AGL. I heard Delta 777 pilots aren't allowed to turn the autothrottles off.

I'm proud to say I've completed one flight on the 700 from take off to touchdown raw data with no flight director....in the sim during my ASA interview

 

[SLUF4]

personally i usually always handfly up to 10k or 18k depending on my mood and maybe 1/4 of the time that's raw data. all I'm saying is I'd look at the big picture in this case and make my decision. just because I can do it doesn't mean it's a good idea. it's up to the pilots to make the decision-i don't let the MEL make my go/no-go decision.

 

[777forever]

personally i usually always handfly up to 10k or 18k depending on my mood and maybe 1/4 of the time that's raw data. all I'm saying is I'd look at the big picture in this case and make my decision. just because I can do it doesn't mean it's a good idea. it's up to the pilots to make the decision-i don't let the MEL make my go/no-go decision.

You handfly the rnav departure outta ATL raw data too? Flew a trip with one captain that did that and he was damn good at it. I was impressed. In fact, he flew EVERY leg raw data up to cruise.

 

[SLUF4]

No, you can't do RNAV departures raw data-thinking they'll be making us use A/P on those soon.

 

[ackattacker]

Can't speak for all regionals but Raw data approaches to mins is not a requirement on any checkride at ASA.

If you read the practical test standard for the ATP, you need to shoot one precision and one non-precision approach to mins without use of the autopilot. Whether you are allowed to use the FD is specifically stated to be up to the discretion of the examiner. Also the examiner is "encouraged" to make you do it on backup or reversionary instruments as applicable.

What I'm trying to say is that when you go in to take an ATP test you could be required to demonstrate a hand-flown, raw data approach using the peanut gyro. If you no longer have the skill to do that, you are no longer qualified to perform the job of an ATP. End of story.

 

[LearLove]

You're capt of CRJ200. Weather at destination is showing 200 ft ceilings and 1 1/2 mile vis. X-wind of 10 knts gusting to 15. Autopilot and flight director deferred. 380 nm flight. ILS fully operational on all runways. Would you take the airplane?

This is a result of the post 911 flight school puppy mill kiddies who went right to a 121 RJ FO and never got the PIC decision making exp. from FAR Part 135 or Mil flying.

 

[Kaman]

Hand-fly ILS...to lowest mins IAW OPSPECS (RVR 1800). ALL Four EFIS tubes out...Aileron and Elevator disconnect handles PULLED...Approach accomplished on the back-up gauges and #1 NAV/CDI OBS thingy...Did it in the SIM as an SIC new-hire...yawwwwwnnnn...OK, I have 3000 hours in the 1900 and over 2000 of it in the left-seat. Am I superpilot? Oh HECK NO! All of the above scenario was way over and above a worst-case. I commend our instructor for inducing this emergency and he did for the point of building our confidence and comfort level with flying this airplane. And, I might add this was at CJC...
I about had coffee come out of my nose when I read about the ASA crew that declared an emergency because the "box" crapped out. A Mesa crew with a couple of cracks in the seats did the same thing coming out of LGA a few years back...WTF??? Guess they didn't come from "Air-Middy" or they would have just taken turns filing their nails and continued to their destination.

 

[FO 4 Life]

Don't look at the MEL whether you can go or not. What does you Ops Specs, AOM, and FOM say about weather and what is required?

200' ceiling and low vis, the a/c wouldn't even be scheduled for the flight at my company. Doesn't mean someone can't do it, there's just a lot of other variables.

As far as flying an ILS better than the autopilot, I haven't seen someone hand fly an autoland. HGS, yes, but not an autoland.

 

[ackattacker]

As far as flying an ILS better than the autopilot, I haven't seen someone hand fly an autoland. HGS, yes, but not an autoland.

I've seen it done in the sim, 0/0. The guy flying was a 20,000 hour AA Capt and when we turned the vis back up on the sim we were right on centerline. We even had a 10 kt crosswind dialed up. He was just showing off, obviously.

 

[at7driver]

less than 4000 rvr or 3/4 mile require the FD to be operable, autopilot is req'd if available. FOM 2-1.11

be what's legal is not always safe, right. If you're not comfortable with it don't take that plane.