A student of mine that went to the majors startled me when I asked him how he liked it when he upgraded to Captain to the 737. He said "it's just a system, I just get in, buckle up and hang on".
I flew for Rocky Mountain Airways In Denver Colorado and I remember in ground school when they took us to the hangar to see the DHC6 Twin Otters and in the cockpit a new hire (FNG they called us)asked where the autopilot was and the instructor laughed and said it sits in the right seat and gets $750 a month. All hand flying heavy weather low mins unbelievable turbulence and icing all winter long. I don't believe Rocky Mountain ever had a pilot error accident.
I have been concerned about this for years. I wrote a book "On Being An Airplane Pilot Not An Airplane Driver", but I have not been able to get it published. I spent over 40 years as a flight instructor, bush pilot, commuter airline pilot, and charter pilot, over 35,000 hours mostly flight instructing. I observed a serious lack of stick and rudder skills in some air carrier accidents and my book addresses lack of fundamental skills and misconceptions that get pilots in trouble. If anyone knows how to get my book published and marketed I believe it could have an impact on air safety. rawhp@aol.com
If you try to force an airplane onto the ground it usually results in bouncing/porpoising. It's difficult to believe a crew qualified to operate that airplane would force it to land instead of executing a go-around.
We all revere a supernatural Father. The choices are Lucifer or God. It is not astonishing that some people believe in God and some believe in Lucifer. We make our choice and hope it is the right one, because eternity is a very long time.
If they really landed mid field, why? Was there some reason they couldn't go around after a bad approach? If a go-around was possible that would have avoided this schmidt storm that's coming for this flight crew. If landing was the only option at least everyone made it out safely.