"Children of the Magenta" a Vimeo Video Every Pilot Should Be Required to Watch

(Updated 12/30/2013) I just received a suggestion via e-mail (thank you Grzegorz Szupryczynski) to watch the YouTube video titled “Children of the Magenta .”  I had some time last night and spent 20 minutes watching it.  I believe that every pilot should be required to watch it.  The subject of inappropriate autopilot/autothrottle use is much in discussion today due to the accident of Air France flight 447 in the South Atlantic. 

Children of Magenta 

What is not discussed in the presentation is the result of of overuse of automation is its effects on a pilot's hand flying proficiency.  Proficiency is based on frequency of use and the less we hand fly, the lower the proficiency level.  I believe it is the pilot's responsibility to know what his level of hand flying proficiency is and if it is not satisfactory, it is his job to take what ever actions necessary to maintain it. Hand flying your aircraft means no auto throttle use as well as no auto pilot use...See my post written in 2012 at:
http://rpsiano.blogspot.com/2012/06/pilot-flight-proficiency-each-pilot-has.html