I fly the little guys, small GA airplanes like Cessna and Pipers. Take offs and landings are the best part of flying. I would never want an auto pilot to take off for me. After awhile of flying you get used to how an airplane feels; how it's handling in the air, how fast the engine is running. You look at the instruments to be sure but you can feel if everything is "Right" with the plane too. Something no computer could do.

There is a lot more to do when landing and when the weather is bad the pilots have a lot to do a little help from the auto pilot is really nice to have while you are double checking everything and getting set up. Making a good landing and hearing the tires squeek is one of the best feelings in the world.

If you are thinking of the plane in Madrid that crashed on take off know that the pilots were doing everything humanly possible to keep the shiny side up and the best of a horrible situation.