Autopilots and VTDs

[Frank Weston]

Dear List,

Flying an airplane on autopilot and tuning a piano with a VTD are
excercises that share a very important attribute: the requirement for
human judgement tempered by experience.

Any monkey can be taught to fly.  The difference between a flying monkey
and a skilled aviator is not the autopilot. It's the ability to
understand the situation and make the right decision at the right time.

Tuning with a VTD without understanding what you are about is like
trying to fly with an autopilot and no previous flight instruction.
Both endeavors are doomed to failure.

I'm an ex-Naval Aviator, have my ATR, and I've flown lots of checkrides
using the autopilot when appropriate.  I'm an aural tuner, and I've done
lots of tuning with a VTD recently - and as with the autopilot, I use
the VTD for it's appropriate purpose.

BTW - Monkeys can also be taught to tune pianos, but they will never
understand that music is the desired result.

Frank Weston