Autopilot questions for small GA aircraft

On May 8, 1:52 pm, chris wrote:
On May 8, 1:22 pm, Mxsmanic wrote:

Some questions on autopilots for pilots of small GA aircraft:

1. Do you have an autopilot in your aircraft? If so, how many axes/modes?

Some of the aircraft I fly do have them. All are single axis. You can
select HDG to follow the bug or NAV to follow a VOR, and some other
modes I haven't tried. One apparently will follow the GPS but I
couldn't figure the GPS out last time I flew that plane. One of the
other club planes, a Twin Comanche has alt hold as well as hdg hold. I
think a couple of our planes have autopilot disconnect switches handy
to your left hand as well.

The Clubs 172R will hold heading and altitude, and runs on NAV, HDG
or GPS modes. I liken its GPS to using the VI text editor in Linux -
only those who know how to use it can use it. The rest of us just use
the radio function and thats it.

2. Which modes do you find yourself using most often, and in what conditions?

HDG mode is all I have ever used, when I have trimmed it up and am on
track I sometimes set the autopilot up and sit back and relax.



3. Do you use your autopilot differently between VFR and IFR flight? If so,
what do you do differently?

N/A - don't fly IFR



4. How much do you trust your autopilot? Have you experienced failures? Were
they inconveniences or did they impact safety?

Seems to work OK, just have to remember that if you decide to change
direction the control column will strongly resist you trying to turn
it. Apparently a sharp yank will disconnect autopilot but have not
tried that. Gives you a fright when you go to turn left and it won't
turn!!

It was demonstrated to me in the clubs PA28 when I did my type rating
and you have to give it a fairly strong wrench to override it. And
yes, its quite scary. The 172 has an override switch on the controls.

5. Do you find that autopilots add safety or merely add convenience?

Using autopilot I am more likely to fly straight along the track
rather than wobbling around like I normally do

Convenience. I don't see it being safer than hand flying as you don't
really have ready control over the aircraft. One of our local
airlines entire Beech 1900D fleet was ordered without autopilot. When
the CEO was asked why he said, "we're paying for 2 pilots why pay for
a 3rd?"

6. Excluding situations in which autopilot is required (autolands, RVSM,
etc.), are there situations in which you prefer not to fly without an
autopilot?

I only use it for decent cross country flights, everything else,
including takeoff and landing I switch it off.