Housekeeping chores

"Ray Andraka" wrote in message
...
Why? I've only recently put an autopilot in my plane, and it is jsut a
single axis one at that. Before installing it, I've never flown IFR WITH
and
autopilot equipped plane (I have ~1100 hrs in 'the system'). Autopilot is
nice for flipping maps, taking clearances etc, but I don't consider it
mandatory. Even now, I hand fly most of the time. The autopilot mostly
gets
used only when attending to other chores. For flying in the Northeast, I
think having a strikefinder or equiv spherics detector is a much higher
priority than having an autopilot.

Jon Kraus wrote:

IMHO an autopilot is a must have if you are flying IFR. :-)



Under a situation of limited funds, one must weigh alternatives. This
article (from a autopilot manufacturer, so take what they say with a grain
of salt) does make some damn good, well reasoned points (in the form of a
decision tree at the end of the article).

www.s-tec.com/pdf/AutoPilotBook.pdf

I agree, an autopilot is a useful tool, which is why I added one to my
airplane. The need for one is, I think, also dependent on the airplane. If
you've got an airplane that is a little squirrelly, you'll need an autopilot
more than if you have one that handles more like a truck. I fly a cherokee Six,
which is incredibly stable for IFR operations...that is to say that it handles
like a sled...it takes a bit of effort to make it turn at all. Given the
stability of this airframe, an autopilot was not as high a priority as some
other things. If it were a Tiger or Bonanza, I'm sure the importance would have
carried more weight.

Tom Sixkiller wrote:



Under a situation of limited funds, one must weigh alternatives. This
article (from a autopilot manufacturer, so take what they say with a grain
of salt) does make some damn good, well reasoned points (in the form of a
decision tree at the end of the article).

www.s-tec.com/pdf/AutoPilotBook.pdf

--
--Ray Andraka, P.E.
President, the Andraka Consulting Group, Inc.
401/884-7930 Fax 401/884-7950
email
http://www.andraka.com

"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-Benjamin Franklin, 1759

"Ray Andraka" wrote in message
...
I agree, an autopilot is a useful tool, which is why I added one to my
airplane. The need for one is, I think, also dependent on the airplane.
If
you've got an airplane that is a little squirrelly, you'll need an
autopilot
more than if you have one that handles more like a truck. I fly a
cherokee Six,
which is incredibly stable for IFR operations...that is to say that it
handles
like a sled...it takes a bit of effort to make it turn at all. Given the
stability of this airframe, an autopilot was not as high a priority as
some
other things. If it were a Tiger or Bonanza, I'm sure the importance
would have
carried more weight.

Tom Sixkiller wrote:



Under a situation of limited funds, one must weigh alternatives. This
article (from a autopilot manufacturer, so take what they say with a
grain
of salt) does make some damn good, well reasoned points (in the form of
a
decision tree at the end of the article).

www.s-tec.com/pdf/AutoPilotBook.pdf


And as you and the article state it should be only a TOOL, not a crutch. IN
a similar vein, it should be used like cruise control in a car; it should
not cause a deterioration in the ability to drive (and no, I'm not referring
to the Urban Legend® of the guy in the motor home that turned on cruise
control and went back to fix a sam'ich. ) :~)

FWIW, although both my cars are equipped with cruise control, I don't use it at
all. Anyway, I think we are pretty much in agreement that an autopilot is a
useful tool and should not be depended on as a surrogate for pilot ability. If
I can't fly as well as the autopilot, I have no business being there. That
said, my point was that (for me anyway) an autopilot is not a must have, but it
is fairly high on the list of desirables.



And as you and the article state it should be only a TOOL, not a crutch. IN
a similar vein, it should be used like cruise control in a car; it should
not cause a deterioration in the ability to drive (and no, I'm not referring
to the Urban Legend® of the guy in the motor home that turned on cruise
control and went back to fix a sam'ich. ) :~)

--
--Ray Andraka, P.E.
President, the Andraka Consulting Group, Inc.
401/884-7930 Fax 401/884-7950
email
http://www.andraka.com

"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-Benjamin Franklin, 1759

"Ray Andraka" wrote in message
...
FWIW, although both my cars are equipped with cruise control, I don't use
it at
all. Anyway, I think we are pretty much in agreement that an autopilot is
a
useful tool and should not be depended on as a surrogate for pilot
ability. If
I can't fly as well as the autopilot, I have no business being there.
That
said, my point was that (for me anyway) an autopilot is not a must have,
but it
is fairly high on the list of desirables.


Out here in the West, where drinving distances are ENORMOUS (even in town),
CC is a necessity. For one thing, it'll hold the speed better than a human
can and thus provide better fuel economy. I shudder to think of driving
through Kansas without CC, especially with highway patrol hiding in the
bushes. :~)

Ray Andraka wrote:
FWIW, although both my cars are equipped with cruise control, I don't use it at
all. Anyway, I think we are pretty much in agreement that an autopilot is a
useful tool and should not be depended on as a surrogate for pilot ability. If
I can't fly as well as the autopilot, I have no business being there. That
said, my point was that (for me anyway) an autopilot is not a must have, but it
is fairly high on the list of desirables.

I use my CC all the time, but then driving is a lot more boring than
flying IFR. And if my CC dies, it likely won't crash my car!! :-)


Matt

I live in the Northeast. If I used my CC, I'd likely crash my car ;-)

"Matthew S. Whiting" wrote:

RI use my CC all the time, but then driving is a lot more boring than
flying IFR. And if my CC dies, it likely won't crash my car!! :-)

Matt

--
--Ray Andraka, P.E.
President, the Andraka Consulting Group, Inc.
401/884-7930 Fax 401/884-7950
email
http://www.andraka.com

"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-Benjamin Franklin, 1759

Ray Andraka ) wrote:

FWIW, although both my cars are equipped with cruise control, I don't use
it at all.

The day an automobile's cruise control will track the lane without drifting
to either side is the day I consider the CC similar to an aircraft's AP.

In its current incarnation, the CC is analogous to the aircraft's locking
throttle.

--
Peter












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"Peter R." wrote in message
...
Ray Andraka ) wrote:

FWIW, although both my cars are equipped with cruise control, I don't
use
it at all.

The day an automobile's cruise control will track the lane without
drifting
to either side is the day I consider the CC similar to an aircraft's AP.

In its current incarnation, the CC is analogous to the aircraft's locking
throttle.

Follow someone on the open road and see how precisely the maintain speed.
Note, too, how many have speeds that vary 10-15 MPH or even more in hilly
country.