Global Survey Reveals Manual Flight Skills Crisis

Key Takeaways

• A data analysis performed at one large airline showed that 30% of the pilots apply excessive and cyclic rudder after autopilot disconnect during approach
• Fear of FDM flagging limits practice: Pilots avoid manual flying in operations because they don't want to trigger flight data monitoring alerts
• Simulator training alone is insufficient: Most participants in a recent survey recognise line operations practice as essential; however, many airlines prohibit or discourage manual flying during revenue flights
• Even senior instructors struggle: Observations during training revealed that even senior instructors sometimes have difficulty flying straight and level with degraded flight control laws.
• Of the 22 global airlines surveyed, European operators lead adoption: 100% of European respondents report MFO training in simulators and line operations.

 

The Uncomfortable Truth

Dr. Sunjoo Advani, President of International Development of Technology (IDT), opened his EATS 2025 presentation with a startling observation: "We asked an instructor, a senior instructor examiner, to switch off the Automation and just fly normally - straight and level - in manual mode (Direct Law). He had a tough time doing it."

"We started looking further. It's not a unique situation," Sunjoo continued. "We've observed that more and more often—pilots who tend to create their own PIOs [pilot-induced oscillations], resulting in their own flight path deviations."

The presentation, developed in collaboration with Dr. Kathy Abbott from the FAA, unveiled results from an international survey. This survey examined the aviation industry's stance on proficiency in manual flight operations (MFO) and provided a global snapshot of the situation.

Regulatory Divide: FAA vs. EASA

The FAA Advisory Circular 121-23 recommends operators "focus on manual flight training, allow more opportunities for manual flight operations" with pilots having "freedom to apply these skills. Automation policies should not be overly prescriptive."

Like the FAA, EASA's updated Safety Information Bulletin (June 2025) takes a cautious approach, recommending that pilots perform an adequate risk assessment when MFO is involved.

Regarding responsibility, Advani concluded: "The operator, that's where we can take effective steps, but we have to take the right steps."

Survey Results: A Revealing Global Snapshot

IDT surveyed 23 airlines globally, reaching heads of training, training managers, and chief pilots. Key findings:

Knowledge Gap: 30% admitted limited knowledge of their pilots' MFO proficiency. European airlines reported 100% knowledge, though Advani questioned some responses: "Safety departments monitor the pilots. Really, that was an interesting one. Should this not be the training department?"

Training Approaches: Globally, only 17% conduct MFO training solely in simulators, while 100% of European airlines use both simulators and line operations. When asked about specific MFO attention during simulator training, 90% said yes (100% in Europe).

Desire for More Practice: The majority favour MFO practice during line operations, with many wanting to do more "if it is possible." On whether portions should become mandatory, opinions are divided. "Mandatory does not always lead to a better solution," Advani noted. "Things should also be voluntary."

Field Observations: The Reality Check

Outside of this survey, a separate data analysis of one non-European operator revealed somewhat concerning trends. "During the approach, 25 to 30% of the pilots, after disconnecting the autopilot, started to apply a significant amount of rudder," Advani explained. While outcomes weren't necessarily flagged as bad landings, "that particular manual flying skill was not really optimal."

More alarming: "We've seen a difficulty flying manually, actually flying straight and level. It really, really surprised me."

Survey comments revealed systemic barriers:

Experience Gap: "Less experienced pilots tend to practice MFO less than more experienced pilots. So how are they ever going to gain the right experience?"

FDM Fear: "Fear to deviate out of parameters and show up on the FDM is quite high, which limits the pilot's ability to fly manually. They don't want to show up as being the bad guys."

Policy Prohibitions: "Many airlines do not encourage or even prohibit practicing manual flying in line operations, and this is not necessarily good practice."

False Security: "Automation is too often looked upon as a panacea or a solution to keep pilots from running into trouble. The opposite is actually true."

Why Simulators Aren't Enough

While acknowledging simulators as "fantastic tools," Advani outlined critical limitations: "Simulator training develops basic skills, and it's very forgiving. However, the real world is still real. There are actual atmospheric conditions, more dynamic ATC and traffic, fatigue, and, of course, surprise due to unexpected events."

Flight operations develop confidence—something difficult to replicate in simulators. "Confidence is crucial, building that and maintaining it," he emphasized.

Regarding Upset Prevention and Recovery Training, Advani clarified: "UPRT is not simply the solution. MFO is a higher-level problem, and, actually, that deficiency in MFO is one of the reasons we have created the need for UPRT. It's only a partial solution to the bigger problem."

Solutions and the Path Forward

Advani proposed concrete solutions: improve risk analysis so pilots can make informed decisions about when to use Automation; recognize FDM issues and bridge the gap between safety and training departments ("Sometimes a safety department will say 'we have a problem: hard landings, fix it'—and the training department says 'we don't know the root cause, and therefore don't exactly know what to fix, or how to fix it')"; and develop clear, supportive policies that enable manual flying practice.

He outlined a three-year roadmap: Year One (2024) presented MFO concepts; Year Two (2025) shared survey results; Year Three (2026) will discuss the way forward. "We invite you to take part in this process and be part of the survey that we are going to do next year. It's going to be a completely anonymous survey."

An Industry-Wide Challenge

The survey and field observations paint a sobering picture: even as Automation becomes more sophisticated, fundamental manual flying skills are degrading—even among experienced instructors. The fear of FDM flags, restrictive policies, and over-reliance on simulator training create a perfect storm for skills erosion.

Yet the solution isn't abandoning Automation—it's finding the right balance, as Advani emphasized: "Manual and Automation are not a binary choice. We don't simply go from fully automated to fully manual. There are also mixed modes. Both of these are essential and complementary."

The challenge now is for operators to create environments where pilots can safely practice, build confidence, and maintain the manual flying skills that remain paramount for safety—even in our increasingly automated aviation world.

 

Interested in pilot proficiency and human factors in aviation? Join us at WATS 2026 in Orlando, Florida, May 5-7, where experts will explore human factors training, Gen Z in the cockpit, and strengthening performance readiness for high-stakes operations.

Save your seat for WATS 2026!