I have never Power Tapped with a hand drill either. I try my level best to not tap with an un-guided tap, only do that when it is an absolute necessity. If I drill the hole under a drill press then I will put some type of guide in the press to keep the tap aligned. In spite of the lead-in, taps are not self-centering, plus support for the upper end gives one a bit of a hedge against breakage.

Miller/TN
I Didn't Say Everything I Said, Yogi Berra