I mean, has anyone actually seen a pilot behind the controls while the aircraft is in flight, other than in the movies?

Well, yes. I've been sitting next to the pilot on a number of occasions. However, I never once adequately tested whether he was a real pilot, or an intricate faximilie thereof. Perhapse it wasn't the radio making his voice sound mechanized, maybe that was his robotic larynx.

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I'm like one of those idiot savants...well, except for the savant part.
"In order to increase awareness of the homeless, security have been given binoculars."