Autoland

[ChrisM]

How often do pilots use autoland.  Do they use it everytime they can or do they normally land manually.

[beefhole]

Autoland means the plane will be doing EVERYTHING by itself-including the flare and, in some cases, the rollout.  ILS is the plane just following the glideslope-you have to flare it.  You may have already known all that, but I'm not sure so I put it down.

ILS=APP hold.
Autoland=not in FS (at least not on the stock aircraft)

In RL, pilots will normally use APP hold, save for the more experienced ones that will fly the glideslope by hand in visual conditions.  Autoland, where the plane does everything itself, is most likely only used in extreme low visibility conditions.

This is my assumption-someone actually in the industry would be better suited to answer it *cough* Saratoga *cough*

[eno]

Autoland is used on CATIII approaches when the runway doesn't become visible untill the last few seconds of the approach.

[Saratoga]

Autoland is used by the pilots who aren't crazy enough to try the approach for themselves. Actually though, it is used on the low visibility approaches in the worst weather imaginable. The times when you absolutely have to land but the ceiling and visibility is really low. It's just a matter of setting up all the autopilots (yes, they all must be on in order to fly the approach. The sim doesn't show this, but airliners usually have at least two autopilots (three is norm) which work together on hard-to-manage tasks). The landing isn't the smoothest thing imaginable, but the modern planes can land, deploy spoilers and reverse, apply brakes as necessary, and at 60 knots, close reverse and switch themselves off! Impressive to watch, to say the least.
Despite the fact the pilots aren't in total control, it is one of the hardest things to do for an airline pilot. We don't use it unless it is absolutely necessary. Then you have to study and watch the gauges very closely. If it drifts from the glidescope just a bit, click, off goes the autopilot and missed approach we go!