Questions tagged [autopilot]
An autopilot is a system used to guide an aircraft without assistance from a person.
3
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3answers
265 views
How is device control software checked for quality?
Many, many reports on the now infamous MCAS suggest a software patch is forthcoming in the next several weeks that will address the confounding single point of failure with the two AOA sensors that ...
0
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1answer
185 views
Why can’t takeoff rejection be automated?
According to this comment on my previous question about automatic instrument takeoffs (or, rather, the lack thereof), the reason takeoffs are always flown manually is to allow the pilot to quickly ...
0
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0answers
15 views
Wing size, design and materials for ultralight aircraft [closed]
i need help on how to design a wing for two seat aircraft, its size and even the materials to be used because i don't have enough knowledge about it, photos, links, videos, books etc are welcomed[
4
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1answer
1k views
Are the Boeing MCAS and Airbus Alpha Protection systems the same?
I have a little question concerning MCAS from Boeing and Alpha Protection from Airbus.
I think these two systems are the same, if I'm wrong please tell me.
If the two 737 MAX crashed because of the ...
2
votes
1answer
196 views
Could the autopilot have rectified the flight path without any crew input on the Aeroflot Flight 593?
In the case of the Aeroflot Flight 593 air crash, could the autopilot have rectified the flight path of the Airbus at any point if the crew had not attempted to correct the spin, even while partially ...
4
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0answers
43 views
Does an autopilot that controls roll, pitch and a yaw damper meet the requirements of 135.105(c)(1)?
For single-pilot VFR operations, 14 CFR 135.105(c)(1) requires that:
The autopilot is capable of operating the aircraft controls to
maintain flight and maneuver it about the three axes
Does this ...
6
votes
2answers
2k views
Why is autolanding ILS a thing, but not autotakeoffing ITS? [duplicate]
In this answer to the question of why zero-visibility landings are legal and routine but not zero-visibility takeoffs, the poster makes the following point:
When an aircraft lands in near zero ...
1
vote
3answers
182 views
Can you fly the plane manually without disengaging autopilot?
Let's say you are engaged a Boeing 777 with autopilot on and you bank or pitch. Will the plane respond?.
If so. will the plane try to return to its parameters once you quit handling the controls?.
...
-1
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1answer
35 views
Does MCP Altitude change in the B757/B767 when ALT HOLD is pushed?
I have a question, resulting of a discussion in a different forum: When flying the B757 or B767 and the ALT HOLD button is pushed, will that also change the MCP Altitude to the current altitude, at ...
-2
votes
1answer
102 views
How can I make a cheap and simple straight and level recovery device for an RC airplane?
I am a new RC pilot and I crash my RC aircraft a lot. I was thinking of a cool device which would be like training wheels for a plane: a device to return the plane to straight and level flight at the ...
0
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0answers
67 views
Are the terms “Coupled approach” and “Hand flown approach” strictly defined?
I was looking on SE and also Google for the answer, but couldn't find anything. My question is when to log an approach as coupled or handflown? All of the approaches I fly are CAT I but the aircraft's ...
0
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0answers
21 views
Process for Compensator in Altitude Hold
Trying to understand autopilots on a technical level. When making an altitude controller there is a compensator Gc that is used to acquire a Pitchcommand which is passed to an attitude controller (the ...
1
vote
0answers
368 views
Airbus A320 automatic speed mode protection in SRS vertical mode
According to the A320 FCOM, capter 22 auto flight, flight guidance, the "automatic speed mode protection" of the auto flight system of the A320 disengages the flight directors upon reaching current ...
14
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4answers
7k views
Can the autopilot (or stall avoidance system?) of the B737 MAX 8 be overridden by sheer force?
A New York Times article from today about the Lion Air Flight 610 crash claims that in order to control the airplane the pilot
could have braced his feet on the dashboard and yanked the yoke, or ...
30
votes
3answers
6k views
Why is 0 ft a valid target altitude for an autopilot?
Inspired by this story;
The pilot of a Flybe plane that dropped 500 ft (152m) in 18 seconds had
selected the wrong autopilot setting shortly after take-off, an
inquiry has found...
...The ...
0
votes
1answer
73 views
TCAS II manoeuvres? [duplicate]
What manoeuvres does the TCAS II advise the pilot to make?
Is it RA or TA ?
7
votes
2answers
375 views
Can autothrottle be used without autopilot (and vice versa)?
In commercial passenger aircraft:
Can autothrust be used with A/P disabled ?
And can A/P be used without using autothrust?
Citable references very welcome!
If the question depends on a specific ...
3
votes
1answer
439 views
Is it possible to totally override the flight computer on the Airbus A320-family (in simple non-technical terms)?
As I know, in the autopilot oriented airplanes like an A321 the plane doesn't let the pilots pitch down when the plane gets an over-speed warning.
So what if the pitot-static system isn't working ...
3
votes
2answers
314 views
What are the restrictions preventing more intelligent autopilot systems?
Current autopilot system is integrated with Flight Management System (FMS) for navigation such as LNAV and VNAV; both of them are based on preset parameters given by the pilot prior to departure (IRS ...
8
votes
2answers
883 views
Did these pilots break any regulations by hand-flying an A320 for most of the cruise?
A couple of days ago, I flew with a popular budget airline within Europe. The aircraft was an A320. It was also a brand new one (only in service since June 2018 and produces 15% less noise and fuel ...
-1
votes
1answer
479 views
How much hand-flying does a commercial pilot do? [duplicate]
What is the ratio of hand-flying to autopilot for a typical commercial pilot working for a large airline (British Airways, Virgin, EasyJet etc.) and how many hours a year might a typical captain rack ...
6
votes
3answers
1k views
What is the ALT INTV on the 737's autopilot?
So, I was watching a quick tutorial on the FMC on YouTube. The FMC somehow had a 5000 ft restriction, and the guy got clearance to go higher up, and he set his altitude on the AP panel, and he pressed ...
3
votes
1answer
809 views
How do the VNAV and LNAV work on the 737NG?
So, I'm very confused. Im from a Cessna background, no FMC. So, based on my understanding, you could run the autopilot independent of the FMC right? With Speed mode, HDG SEL mode, and V/S mode, am I ...
4
votes
3answers
347 views
Is the 737's autopilot part of the FMS or is it a separate entity?
I was watching a tutorial about the FMS and the autopilot in the 737, and I am consfused. I come from a Cessna background, where there is no FMS, there is only the AP (autopilot).
So, is the AP a ...
0
votes
1answer
75 views
Is there a way to calculate the difference in pitch required to reach a certain vertical speed? [closed]
I am programming an autopilot for a 787 flight sim software and I've been having a problem.
I'm trying to simulate a PID that controls the pitch of the aircraft In relation to the vertical speed ...
1
vote
1answer
182 views
Can thrust be selected manually in a plane with autothrust? If yes, how?
I'm getting into the autothrust world and I have the question of whether it would be possible to disengage it and select the thrust manually in a plane that already has autothrust. How could it be ...
2
votes
1answer
172 views
Why is an auditory alarm necessary when the autopilot disengages?
The FAA gives one requirement for the autopilot in the following FAR...
FAR §25.1329 Flight guidance system.
(j) Following disengagement of the autopilot, a warning (visual
and auditory) ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
Can you disengage A320 autopilot with stick pressure?
I was recently reading that in most military jets, auto-pilot can disengaged without hitting the button, by applying 5lbs of pressure to sticks.
Does this work in commercial airliners such as the ...
82
votes
5answers
41k views
If a pilot ejects, what is the autopilot programmed to do?
If a pilot uses his ejector seat during flight, what is the autopilot programmed to do?
As a developer myself, I would want to build in a way for the plane to try and save itself if possible (to save ...
2
votes
1answer
315 views
What does the XFR button on the Challenger 300's autopilot panel do?
I'm new to aircraft and currently I'm learning the autopilot system of the Bombardier Challenger 300. I saw the "xfr" button but don't understand what it is for. Can someone explain this to me?
3
votes
2answers
553 views
How do Airbus planes flare in normal operation?
In reading the reports and Sully's comments regarding the flight that was ditched in the famous events of US Airways Flight 1549, I am wondering how the Airbus control system works to flare an ...
2
votes
2answers
242 views
Could a FOSS autopilot system ever pass FAA regulations?
Think something like ardupilot but for manned aircraft.
10
votes
4answers
3k views
Do modern aircraft require rudder input in order to perform a coordinated turn?
With today's state-of-the-art electronic systems in modern aircraft, do aircraft equipped with autopilot systems, still require pilot rudder input to keep a turn coordinated?
For the context, I'm ...
4
votes
2answers
650 views
Does the A320 autopilot work in flight with both engines off?
For a series of simulator sessions to determine the speed polar with students we plan to cutoff both engines in our A320 simulator, but we still want to use the autopilot to control speed (in theory, ...
3
votes
3answers
549 views
What is an autopilot washout filter?
In the context of aircraft autopilot design, I do not understand what is washout filter is [Heading Hold - Lateral Dynamics] and what is it used for.
May anyone explain to me?
5
votes
2answers
381 views
Why isn't there a single start button for all systems on aircraft?
Why is it that airliners and aircraft do not have a single start button for all systems?
On TV etc., I noticed that pilots pressing buttons above and below forward and sideways, mostly above though, ...
3
votes
2answers
188 views
Should reliance on Auto-Flight Systems continue to increase in favor of manual flying skills?
In recent years there has been ongoing debate as to whether or not increased reliance on auto-flight systems (autopilot, auto-thrust, etc.) in favor of manual flying proficiency has had a negative ...
0
votes
1answer
148 views
The AFDS and A/T do not control to a speed which is less than minimum speed for the current flap configuration?
The AFDS and A/T do not control to a speed which is less than minimum speed for the current flap configuration. This speed is approximately 1.3Vs. Minimum speed, FMC speed, or selected speed, ...
3
votes
1answer
167 views
How do you program circular flight plans in GPS?
In a recent Buzzfeed article about aerial surveillance, I have seen a map showing perfectly circular flight patterns. Given how precise the patterns are, I highly doubt that the aircraft were being ...
8
votes
2answers
1k views
What other circumstances may cause the autopilot to trip out?
I recently watched Air Crash Investigation, Air France Flight 447.
The autopilot handed back control to the flight deck after the pitot tubes temporarily froze. The autopilot knew it was getting ...
9
votes
4answers
1k views
Do autopilots have an 'activate' switch/button, in addition to 'on' and 'off'?
Say cruising at FL310 and on a 270 heading with autopilot on. If pilot decides to descend to say, FL180 on a 180 heading, is simply changing the altitude and heading numbers on the autopilot control ...
1
vote
1answer
165 views
Is there an FMC not connected to the AP/FD?
Is it possible to have an FMC to compute the performance and navigation without having it linked to an autopilot or flight director?
Does/did such setup exist?
5
votes
2answers
263 views
How is engine management being done without auto throttle during a VNAV approach?
I am wondering how the engine power is controlled if Auto-pilot in a coupled approach mode with VNAV capability, and the aircraft is not equipped with Auto-Throttle?
Is the pilot continuously ...
9
votes
2answers
880 views
Does engine failure shut off the auto-pilot?
After answering this question it got me wondering whether there can be a situation where a complete flameout of engines could cause a serious loss of control if the auto-pilot were to continue to try ...
9
votes
2answers
2k views
Airbus control architecture - where does the actual autopilot live?
I'd like to ask for confirmation about the A320 (and, generally, Airbus family) control architecture. The book Aircraft Systems provides the following
overview of A3XX computing architectures:
...
7
votes
1answer
348 views
Are there any autopilots that are capable of landing a damaged aircraft better than any human?
How close are we to commercial aircraft with autopilots that can, as safely as theoretically possible, land an aircraft with damaged, missing, or otherwise inoperative control surfaces; or altered ...
-4
votes
1answer
641 views
What kind of OS or programming language does the aviation use? [duplicate]
Windows XP because its the most stable system ever ?
C++ because its the most verstatile thing ever ?
Also I am not limiting this question to avionics but to
Garmin GPS/Glass cockpit
B737 Flight ...
3
votes
0answers
179 views
Can I use the autoland mode if the airport is unknown to the FMC database?
Can I use the autoland if I have to land on an airport which is not known to my FMC database? Is it possible to insert the coordinates to get the autoland mode?
1
vote
1answer
343 views
How do holding patterns work?
How does a pilot follow a holding pattern? Do pilots have to manually change heading and altitude (through the autopilot) each time they are making a turn? Or is it something the Flight Management ...
10
votes
1answer
225 views
Does EASA require airliners to be fitted with autopilots?
For EASA OPS requirements, must an airline transport airplane be fitted with an autopilot system?
