Autopilot

[zcottovision]

When flying IFR in the big tin birds, how much of the flight is done on the autopilot?

Is it switched on immediately after take off, or does the pilot climb to the cruise altitude before using it?

How much of an approach is done on the autopilot? Is it used right down to flaring point, or is the autopilot switched off far before? I think that the autopilot isn't to be used under 10,000ft, but I'm not sure about that.

Any ideas?

[Craig.]

it varys from pilot to pilot, effectivly the auto pilot could fly from start to finish, some pilots prob turn it on asap, some might want to fly the first leg, i believe it is a legal requirement for pilots of planes capable to make a certain amount of landings using autopilot a year.
i cant say any further details though as i dont know them

[FSTipster]

i believe it is a legal requirement for pilots of planes capable to make a certain amount of landings using autopilot a year.
i cant say any further details though as i dont know them

You may be right. What is certain is that there are check rides (yes - real pilots have them too, just more often) where pilots are required to do a set number of landings without the aid of the autopilot. I've an idea that the frequency of this is determined partly by the airline, although there must be a legal minimum.

[Moach]

it's been long since i've turned on autopilot.... even on big jets, i only use it if i'm on a flight that is just to long to go by hand

[Ronnie]

My uncle, a 767 pilot for American, has a checkride every one or two months. I do recall him saying that he has to make a certain number of unaided landings every month, I just can't recall how many.

[RollerBall]

Depends how you want to fly. If you want to do heavies with max possible realism you file IFR and fly on the autopilot from/to about 500/1000 ft agl.

If you don't, you just fly everything by hand. It's your sim!

But it's not realistic to be flying a big bird in that way at all and it would kill you (maybe literally!) if you had to fly one by hand for any great distance.

BTW, I find most people who fly by hand all the time usually can't use their instruments properly

[fisharno]

Personally, I perfer to set the AP for cruise altitude, but manually step up to there, and then switch it on. Any heading changes I set manually, per ATC instructions, and autopilot decents only up to about the 60 mile mark, then approach and landings are done manually.
Just the way I like to do it.

[Liam]

At the moment I'm geting used to all the intsruments...so i use AP as much as i can, i don't really see the point of crusing manually as there really is no point.

[zcottovision]

Thanks for all the responses, guys!

I like to have FS as realistic as it gets....during the winter, I could sit at EGAC in FS, watch the planes take off, and (assuming there were no delays) see their real-life counterparts climbing from my window.....!

@Moach: You might want to try that Autopilot thing....I saw your title said "Crashing since FS4" !