With all this discussion about landings, the thought came to me that landing is the only thing that most pilots do that is not automated. Now I know that technology marches forward, and one of the problems in the flying business is that there are two few pilots....why, it's boring, and with less to do in the cockpit, the pilots aren't paid very much, endure physical requirements and a mandatory retirement.
Some airlines now require pilots to let the airplane auto land.
Now I learned to fly in the mid 70's and to this day fly the same way. In my view, flight planning, hand flying, and landing is the lure of flight. My most enjoyable time in the cockpit was flying a sailplane. This requires pilot skills, skills that are getting rusty for all pilots who fly for a living. In a simulator, I can't imagine using GPS or Autopilot....if the simulator could auto land, you could set up a flight, push the start button and go out and mow the lawn and come back just in time to taxi to the gate.
Enjoy your next flight.
Henry
Misty Moorings Team
