During inclement weather, the autopilot is normally used. In cases of significant turbulence, a pilot may disengage the autopilot to help ease the vertical loads on the airplane by reducing the corrective control inputs. All takeoffs and most landing are done manually.

Yes, pilots can and frequently do disengage the autopilot; in fact, they are required to do so during several critical phases of flight. While modern commercial aircraft (like the Boeing 787 or Airbus A350) are highly automated, the autopilot is simply a tool designed to reduce pilot workload during long, steady phases of the journey. Pilots typically disengage the autopilot before the "final approach" to landing (usually around 1,000 to 2,500 feet above the ground) to hand-fly the aircraft onto the runway, ensuring they have the tactile feel and "precision" needed for a safe touchdown. They also manually fly the aircraft during takeoff and the initial climb. In emergency situations, such as an engine failure or severe turbulence, a pilot will often "take the stick" to provide the creative problem-solving and rapid judgment that automated systems lack. Disengaging the autopilot is a simple process—usually involving a button on the control yoke or side-stick—and is a fundamental skill that pilots practice extensively in simulators to ensure they can maintain safe manual control at any moment.