Ron Natalie writes:

Autopilot did, but it's much cruder than it was today. With an aircraft
that's aerodymanically challenged however, I'm not sure I'd have trusted
the autopilot. Let me concentrate on moving the controls, off load
navigation to ATC. That's what a PAR is good for.

Seeing the movie, I was surprised that a PAR even existed or was
possible. I don't see how ATC could have a better idea of the
aircraft's exact position than the pilot, given that the pilot has
many more instruments. I know ATC has radar echos that position the
aircraft laterally with a varying degree of precision, but how can ATC
know the heading or attitude of the a/c, both important on an
approach? I guess the transponder can provide altitude (if mode C
existed back then).

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