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Honestly, I'm not sure that most people understand the extent to which commercial airline flight is automated. For example, most people are shocked when I tell people that pilots are required to let the plane auto-land under very bad visibility conditions.

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> "most people are shocked when I tell people that pilots are required to let the plane auto-land under very bad visibility conditions."

As a commercially-rated pilot I would be shocked, too - since few airport runways are certified for Cat III landings, and that's only under restricted wind speeds.

And even after autoland in fog, a pilot still taxis up to the gate.

Jeez, I admit I am, was now, one of those people!...changes flight to train ticket... ;)

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