Do pilots of larger planes controll anything like the speed or altitude or do they just sit there?

Question

I have always wondered what they do help me please!

Answer 1

Are you trying to ask if the autopilot if flying or the pilot is flying?  Most of the time the autopilot is on, however the pilot is always in control, whether physically controlling the airplane, or controlling the autopilot.  The amount of automation depends on the particular plane, but it ranges from no autopilot and no GPS to complete autopilot with autothrottles and autoland.  Yes, the pilots are definitely controlling speed and altitude!

Answer 2

Large airliners are flown by computer from shortly after take-off to shortly before landing.  In some cases the computer also lands the airplane, if visibility is too poor to permit the pilots to land it.

Automation is used to avoid tiring the pilots on long trips, and to obtain better fuel economy (the computer makes fewer movements and adjusts controls with greater percision, saving fuel in the process).  The pilots have the option of flying by hand at any time, but they usually don't, especially since some airlines prohibit it except in very exceptional circumstances.

Normally the computer controls everything, although pilots must authorize certain actions, such as the start of a descent.  The computer directs all turns, changes in altitude and speed, etc.  However, the pilots can turn off the computer and fly with the autopilot, in which case the pilots choose speed, altitude, and control turns.  Even further, the pilots can turn everything off and fly the plane directly by manipulating the controls.  Some aircraft (Airbus) limit what pilots are allowed to do with the controls; others (Boeing) allow the pilots to do whatever they want.

It is possible to completely computerize flights from gate to gate, but this is not currently done because the infrastructure and aircraft equipment are not cost-effective.

When the computer is in control of the plane (most of the flight), the pilots periodically check that all is well and that the plane is flying the right way, and the rest of the time they can chat, read a magazine, etc., as long as they are in a position to immediately intervene if required.  Some pilots on rough schedules might take a nap, too, as long as they are in cruise flight (when one pilot can easily handle everything), and as long as one of them stays awake while the other naps.

Answer 3

The latest technology in aviation has resulted in only needing one pilot in airplanes. He sits in the left seat. A big dog sits where the copilot used to sit. The pilot's job is to feed the dog. The dog's job is to bite the pilot if he touches anything.

Answer 4

They use auto pilot. It controls speed, altitude, and heading. It can even land. So yes, besides punching the numbers in on the auto pilot, basically they just sit there.

Answer 5

They control it all: speed, altitude, direction, configuration, cabin temp, when they want/get their meals or coffee, and anything else concerning the flight. They can choose to manually fly the aircraft, make autopilot inputs, either through mode control, or the FMC if so equiped.  

After they make the input, they still have to make sure the airplane is doing what they told it to do. Monitoring is not just sitting there.

Aww Ron beat me to it! Everybody seems to type faster than I do!

Answer 6

Pilots of larger planes essentially have full control over the aircraft's flight; they can choose the speed, altitude, direction and attitude.  While they may employ an automatic pilot, they enter all the information the A/P computer uses in flight and can override the A/P at any time.

Answer 7

Autopilots and computerized controls exist to reduce the workload of pilots by managing necessary control inputs from one second to the next during the long, boring parts of a flight.

It is a common misconception that automatic controls "take over," and that the human crew members "don't have anything to do" when the autopilot is on.  But it is just that--a misconception.

The crew are still in charge of the airplane, and they still do most of the flying and all of the decision making.  The Captain is still in command, and the crew are still responsible for operating economy and passenger safety..

Even with today's extensive automatic controls, the crew still flies the airplane.  The autopilot just smooths things out.