Advanced Autopilot Use

Suppose that I am faced with an either-or situation with my autopilot. If I were told I couldnt use the autopilot at either cruise or while being vectored and flying an approach, Id chose to use it on approach. Sure, autopilots help relieve the tedium of long cross-country flights, but they regularly change a stressful approach into a rewarding experience. Lets look at some general tips, then take a close look at how to get the most from your autopilot on approach.

Frank Bowlin

Sunday, September 16, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Emphasize rigorous adherence to correct autopilot modes (e.g., HDG, NAV) immediately after any flight plan or heading change, and strictly setting only *cleared* altitudes in the preselector to prevent errors.
Provide strategic guidance for using the autopilot during approaches, including setting leg altitudes, managing MDAs/DAs, and the critical steps for initiating and executing a missed approach, stressing the importance of knowing your system's specific behaviors.
Address specific challenges such as navigating back course approaches by understanding how your autopilot interprets course sensing, and implementing a pre-set altitude for rapid emergency descents from high altitudes as a safety precaution.

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Suppose that I am faced with an either-or situation with my autopilot. If I were told I couldn’t use the autopilot at either cruise or while being vectored and flying an approach, I’d chose to use it on approach. Sure, autopilots help relieve the tedium of long cross-country flights, but they regularly change a stressful approach into a rewarding experience. Let’s look at some general tips, then take a close look at how to get the most from your autopilot on approach.

Technique Tips

Like most of flying, rigorous adherence to technique or procedure keeps you out of trouble with your autopilot. Probably the most common mistake using an autopilot is having the wrong mode set. Say you’re at cruise using GPSS NAV mode. ATC calls, “Turn left one-zero degrees for traffic. Expect direct NEXTT.” You acknowledge and turn the heading bug 10 degrees to the left and go back to reading your newspaper.