Can a Plane land itself on Auto Pilot?

Question

Can a Plane land itself on Auto Pilot?

Answer 1

yes there are planes that can land themselves

Answer 2

Yes, If both the plane and the airport/runway are  equipped with ILS (Instrument Landing System) Which is a tool to help pilots land. That can be harnessed with AI so the plane knows how far and how low to go until touchdown and BAM! perfect landing. The only problem is that the AI is expensive.

Answer 3

There are many misconceptions about autopilots.  Autopilots do NOT automatically fly airplanes.  The autopilot is an aid to the pilot(s) in managing the cockpit work load during cross country flying and, if properly equipped, special procedures such as holding patterns and instrument approaches.

99.99 percent of airplanes have no autopilot or a very simple one.  The very most sophisticated airplanes have something called "auto-land."  Auto-land, like other autopilots, is just an aid to piloting, and does not actually land the airplane without constant supervision by a human pilot.

In short, an autopilot can keep the airplane on course and altitude smoothly while the crew reads their maps or figures out why some indicator light is flashing that nobody knew was there before tonight.  The autopilot does not fly the airplane.

In the same way, auto-land can help assure a smooth and accurate instrument approach and landing, but requires constant looking after by the crew.

Answer 4

Most airliners are equipped for automated landing, or autoland.  The aircraft will land on its own once things are set up by the pilots.  However, all automation systems currently in use require some sort of intervention by the pilots—the aircraft cannot take off, fly to its destination, and land all by itself.  Pilots periodically must twist k***s and press buttons to allow the automated systems to continue flying … this is mainly a safety feature, to ensure that automated flight systems don't do certain things unless the pilots consider it okay.

For example, pilots can set an altitude in an airliner's autopilot that prevents it from going up or down beyond a certain point.  If the pilot sets, say, 15,000 feet on a dial, the airplane won't climb above 15,000 feet if it is below that altitude, or it won't descend below that altitude if it's above it.  This is a safety feature.  After take-off, pilots must set the altitude high enough to allow the aircraft to reach its cruising altitude, and then, before landing, they must set it low enough to allow the airliner to come back down.  So the process isn't completely automatic, but it's close.  Pilots don't have to do much, but the things they do have to do are essential.

Answer 5

Absolutely.  But it naturally depends on the autopilot.  Most autopilots do not have autoland functions.  However most modern transport category  airliners such as Boeing or airbus have auto land as an option. Most would only use it in very poor weather conditions and can only use it where the appropriate airport equipment exists.  This airport equipment would be certified for what is called a category three ILS and can only be used by aircraft certified with auto land capability.  All this being said the autopilot must be very closely monitored to ensure that it is performing properly and that the signal from the ILS ground station is not lost or degraded.  

Answer 6

Some can

Answer 7

No, if they could, why pay people to pilot the plane...

Answer 8

Yes, if it's equipped with auto-land.

Most modern airliners are so equipped. (at least the larger ones)

Older airliners, such as the earlier 747s had autoland, but it wasn't very good -- it would touch the runway at the right place, but not generally very smoothly.

Aircraft like the A320 have very nice autolanding systems. Most pilots would rather land by hand, however, and the autopilot is typically not used. Usually they turn off  the auto pilot at about 200 feet above the runway,( ILS  minimums) and land the plane by hand.

Answer 9

The planes autopilot can basically fly it to about 200 feet off the ground... then the pilot takes over and that is in the larger jets not small 4 seaters or anything... people will fly planes for a long time because even if the plane could land itself, incase of emergency there would have to be someone to get it down with the stick and rudder...

Answer 10

ILS (Intrument Landing System).

Answer 11

yes they can its called auto land and it is used as a backup during certain instrument approaches.

most pilot disengage it during most operations

Answer 12

Yes, there are some aircraft equipped with an "auto-land" system, but not very many. It requires highly specialized equipment, crew training and certification to use an auto-land system. There are relatively few times it would be required, so the exra expense is generally not worth the investment. The vast majority of aircraft are landed manually, with the auto pilot being disconnected shortly before touchdown.