Autopilot questions for small GA aircraft

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?

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

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

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

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

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

Other comments welcome as well, of course.

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On May 7, 6:22 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?

Yes, 3-axis and autotrim with heading, nav, and backcourse mode while
holding attitude, altitude, or glideslope.

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

Enroute altitude mode, nav or heading.

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

Not really, I fly approaches manually since I don't fully trust the
autopilot's calibration.

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

Sometimes it will track a degree or two off course. Fine for nav, but
less ok for approaches. It's switched off in the past also. It has not
compromised safety because I monitor it at all times.

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

Both. I'd be a lot more tired at the end of a long cross-country if I
had to hand-fly it the whole way.

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

Pretty much any time I'm doing something other than droning along on a
cross-country. Flying is supposed to be FUN! How much fun can it be
with the autopilot going all the time?

On May 7, 6:22 pm, Mxsmanic wrote:

Other comments welcome as well, of course.

You're not likely to find many "small GA aircraft" with RVSM or
autoland.

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.


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!!


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


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.

ZikZak writes:

You're not likely to find many "small GA aircraft" with RVSM or
autoland.

True, but you never know. Someone might be flying a small and expensive jet,
for example.

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Although it's against my better judgment, it appears to be a reasonable
question, so here's my input.

Three axis autopilot with altitude hold. Use heading and nav mode the most,
approach mode as needed.

Use it all the time from 1000 feet AGL until entering the pattern. Use it
for all approaches- this is one time when the work load is the highest, and
it gives more time to check instruments, charts, and configure the plane.

Enroute used exclusively- makes planning, checking charts, communication,
much easier.

It is essential for safety, for the above reasons, along with less fatigue.
I have had an obvious failure of a servo enroute, and had to hand fly for
around six hours, including an ILS approach at an unfamilar airport to near
mins.

It is a critical item for a high performance plane.

In my opnion flying cross country is about getting to the destination as
rapidly as possible without challenges, anxiety, or problems. This involves
having as much airplane as one can afford that gives the maximal amount of
speed, systems redundancy, and capability.

Yes, it is still a lot of fun, and can be extremely challenging, but if I
want a real "flying" experience, I can go up and fly acro- there's nothing
like pulling or pushing g's for a real visceral experience and challenge.

Otherwise, it's autopilot on as much as possible.
"ZikZak" wrote in message
ups.com...
On May 7, 6:22 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?

Yes, 3-axis and autotrim with heading, nav, and backcourse mode while
holding attitude, altitude, or glideslope.

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

Enroute altitude mode, nav or heading.

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

Not really, I fly approaches manually since I don't fully trust the
autopilot's calibration.

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

Sometimes it will track a degree or two off course. Fine for nav, but
less ok for approaches. It's switched off in the past also. It has not
compromised safety because I monitor it at all times.

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

Both. I'd be a lot more tired at the end of a long cross-country if I
had to hand-fly it the whole way.

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

Pretty much any time I'm doing something other than droning along on a
cross-country. Flying is supposed to be FUN! How much fun can it be
with the autopilot going all the time?

Mxsmanic wrote in
:



Other comments welcome as well, of course.


Like "you;'re a fjukkwit"?

Bertie

Mxsmanic wrote in
:

ZikZak writes:

You're not likely to find many "small GA aircraft" with RVSM or
autoland.

True, but you never know. Someone might be flying a small and
expensive jet, for example.


Not, you , of course, since you can't fly.

Bertie

In a previous article, Mxsmanic said:
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?

Of our club's 4 aircraft, two have simple heading-only, and two have an
additional altitude hold. We recently sold the only one that didn't have
an autopilot at all.

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

When I use an autopilot, I only use HDG. I don't trust the NAV mode, and
I prefer to hand fly approaches. I use the HDG mode a lot when I'm
droning along on airways, but don't use the altitude hold so I have
something to do.


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

VFR, I hardly use it at all, except maybe when I'm checking a chart - the
rest of the time I want the option to throw it into a steep bank when the
mood strikes me or I want to look at something on the ground. IFR, I use
the heading mode most of the time en-route. Usually when I trim the plane
correctly I don't need the altitude hold, so I hardly use it.

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

When I first started using the club planes that had autopilots (I trained
in the one that didn't have an autopilot), the first time I tried one it
put me into a 30 degree bank away from my course. If it hadn't been good
VMC, it might have been a safety impact. But only an idiot would try an
autopilot for the first time in IMC.

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

Both. Last week when I was doing my IPC I started to get airsick. I
immediately turned on the autopilot so I could take a break.

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

Already answered.


--
Paul Tomblin http://blog.xcski.com/
Whenever someone says something exceedingly stupid, I feel it my duty to
educate them. Plus, everyone else leaves and the meeting becomes de
facto over. -- Rob Russell understands meetings

On May 7, 8:22 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?
STEC 30 2 axis, but no climb/descent/glide slope
2. Which modes do you find yourself using most often, and in what conditions?
GPS steering based on GPS flight plan - turn it on at cruise altitude after trimming level
3. Do you use your autopilot differently between VFR and IFR flight? If so,
what do you do differently?
Not really any different, unless sightseeing.
4. How much do you trust your autopilot? Have you experienced failures? Were
they inconveniences or did they impact safety?
No failures, but I don't completely trust it - just keep an eye on it.
5. Do you find that autopilots add safety or merely add convenience?
Big safety feature, especially when using the Little Red Bottle
6. Excluding situations in which autopilot is required (autolands, RVSM,
etc.), are there situations in which you prefer not to fly without an
autopilot? Sometimes turn it off to practice hand flying with accuracy.

Other comments welcome as well, of course.

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