4 ms·
Probably not the actual cruise (30k+ feet at M0.7+), but definitely some of the nicer approaches and departures. Hand flying an airliner in cruise within the ti
by Toutouxc 4y ago
Probably not the actual cruise (30k+ feet at M0.7+), but definitely some of the nicer approaches and departures. Hand flying an airliner in cruise within the tiny strip of air it’s allowed to fly in (google Reduced vertical separation minima) is no fun.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- mrguyorama 4y agoPilots are still doing a job, and sometimes that job involves keeping their skills fresh and honed, or working around a partially non-functional or degraded autopilot. Sometimes it's even a matter of personal preference, with some pilots preferring more hands on time than others.
- Toutouxc 4y agoI’m not sure if you’re disagreeing with me, so I’ll expand on the previous post: most commercial flights cruise at altitudes where it’s not allowed to fly without autopilot. Not for honing the pilots’ skills, not because of a malfunction. There are parts of the flight where hand flying is allowed, but those are the parts closer to the ground (or on very short hops where the cruise altitude is significantly lower than usual).