When is the autopilot switch will use?

Question

Is that the pilot will use the autopilot when it's reached certain altitude & speed or prepare to cruise at high cloud?Can somebody solve my question ? And also,give me some reference...Thank you.

Answer 1

The autopilot can be turned on whenever the pilot wants to.

The autopilot helps reduce the workload. Some pilots in a single-crew-member cockpit turn the autopilot on shortly after departure and leave it on until reaching MDA/DH on the approach.

The autopilot also reduces boredom during long stretches of level flight. So some pilots wait to turn it on until they're at cruise.

Turning on the autopilot isn't "cheating" -- it's another piece of equipment in the airplane that can be employed to better fly the airplane. It's important to monitor heading, altitude, and other instruments during autopilot flight, just as one would while hand-flying.

Commercial airline pilots may have rules for when they use or don't use the autopilot. As a private pilot that's out of my league.

Answer 2

Negative....both of the above answers are incorrect.

The autopilot can be engaged at 400 feet above ground level, however most of the time it is not. Many pilots enjoy hand-flying the plane up to and even during cruise flight. It does not decrease boredom - it increases it. Most autopilots control compass heading, altitude, and sometimes airspeed.

The autopilot is not capable of making the plane takeoff or land. It does not assist the aircraft on the ground during taxi, either.

Answer 3

Autopilots vary widely in their capabilities and the way pilots choose to use them.

Many light planes have a simple 2-axis or 3-axis autopilot that is useful only to keep the thing straight and level in cruise flight.

More sophisticated autopilots are able to manage a climb to a preset altitude, level off and cruise at that altitude, and manage a descent and approach.

Autoland can do what it sounds like it can do, at least under some conditions.  So it isn't a straightforward answer.  It depends on the gadget, the airplane, and the pilot's preference.

Most professional pilots use it to the max, because it keeps you from having to make all the tiny corrections all the time.  The autopilot does not automatically fly the airplane without human supervision.  You constantly have to make sure it's doing the right thing.

Answer 4

Listen to Flyskyha, sounds like a private pilot to me.

Answer 5

We use the autopilot as a tool, just like any other gadget installed in the plane.  If workload dictates (i.e. speed assignments, tough departure procedures, crossing altitude restrictions, lower altitude leveloffs) we use it to reduce the workload on our hands.  Under normal circumstances, I find its generally easiest to hand-fly up to about 12-15,000 feet and engage the autopilot after that.

On landing, I tend to disengage it at 500' or so above the ground and do the landing myself.

Of course, each pilot is different and each circumstance is different.  In the case of an emergency, engaging the autopilot as soon as practical allows us to turn our attention to other things...like dealing with the emergency.  During a V1 engine-failure, we will engage ours at about 600' AGL, then command the autopilot to follow our directions.  This leaves us a free hand to do things like trim, run checklists, talk on the radio, and so forth.

Answer 6

Depends on the company's training and policy.  There can be minimum altitudes (during takeoff or approach) for automatic pilot use.  

Depends on what you're doing.  If you're having to maneuver much, as in turning and descending to intercept a glide path while complying with a speed restriction and some configuration changes.........maybe you'll do better hand-flying.  When flying with an autopilot you sometimes have to think further ahead because of the lag and imperfection in automatic pilots, and uncertainty about how much to lead a turn, or how much pitch or bank to have the autopilot use.  If your command to the autopilot to turn or descend  is abrupt because you got a little behind, then the resulting roll or pitch can be abrupt.  --Uncomfortable for passengers.

Answer 7

Much like the cruise control (for speed) in a car, the auto pilot in a plane is used for steady heading, altitude, and attitude.  The auto pilot is to ease a human pilot from the monotonous work of keeping the plane on heading and altitude.  Sorry, I have no references.

Answer 8

Depends on the sophistication of the autopilot and many other things.  There is no one definate answer.