The new automatic flight control systems in airplanes ranging from fixed-gear singles to business jets are just amazing. I never imagined I would see such capability except in multimillion dollar jets, but it’s there in a Skyhawk. The big flat-glass displays get all of the attention, but it is the flight guidance computer at the heart of the integrated system that does the real work.
Using GPS guidance with accuracy improved by the wide area augmentation system (WAAS), these advanced systems from Garmin, Collins, Bendix/King, Honeywell, Avidyne, L-3 and others can automatically fly any published IFR procedure. The systems are smart enough to consider groundspeed and calculate when to start a turn so there is a smooth capture of the next leg of a procedure without overshooting. Vertical profiles are also stored in the database and the system can automatically descend and level off at the proper altitude for each segment of the procedure. The precision is simply fantastic.
