On Tue, 05 Jul 2005 00:56:19 GMT, Jose
wrote:

There's an autopilot in our club archers and dakota, but I almost never
use them. For one thing I feel like a passenger if I don't have my hand
on the wheel, and for another, I treat every flight as a training
flight. I don't see how one can remain proficient when George has all
the fun. I just like to hand-fly, even on long flights.

That said, a simple wing leveler is great to have while copying an IFR
clearance, or folding maps, or any time the load factor gets a bit high.
If you do much IFR, a simple George is nice to have.

Jose

With the latest DRVSM airspace rules, hand flying a jet at altitude
has become a thing of the past. No autopilot and you are stuck below
FL290. Not that anyone hand flew in cruise unless they had to anyway.
If the autopilot broke, it always automatically became the first
officer's leg. :-)