Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

1 Answers

Use of Autopilot During PPL Training

Asked by: 4262 views Student Pilot

Hello - I am a PPL student pilot starting solo XCs.  I also fly a G1000 C172 having upgraded from steam gauge post first-solo.  Do CFIs teach the use of autopilot in any scenarios during training?  (I asked my CFI to teach me) I can think of a few scenarios where I feel like it could come in handy as long as it does not become a crutch:

1 - Accidental flight into IMC to avoid spatial disorientation and lock in altitude and heading, and also to execute the 180 standard rate out of IMC.

2 - Just workload management on a long XC when getting setup for Class C, D arrivals or VOR navigation for example.

Would love thoughts

Thanks,

CJ

Ace Any FAA Written Test!
Actual FAA Questions / Free Lifetime Updates
The best explanations in the business
Fast, efficient study.
Pass Your Checkride With Confidence!
FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides.
Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.
Written and maintained by actual pilot examiners and master CFIs.
The World's Most Trusted eLogbook
Be Organized, Current, Professional, and Safe.
Highly customizable - for student pilots through pros.
Free Transition Service for users of other eLogs.
Our sincere thanks to pilots such as yourself who support AskACFI while helping themselves by using the awesome PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android aviation apps of our sponsors.

1 Answers



  1. Russ Roslewski on Sep 30, 2016

    Yes, if the aircraft is equipped with an autopilot, I teach it during Private Pilot training. It’s an installed piece of equipment and is fair game during the checkride. In addition, pilots should know how to use it in “real flying”, as it is a valuable piece of safety gear, for the reasons you mention and others.

    Additionally, from page A-19 of the Private Pilot ACS:
    “To assist in management of the aircraft during the practical test, the applicant is expected to demonstrate automation management skills by utilizing installed equipment such as autopilot, avionics and systems displays, and/or flight management system (FMS). The evaluator is expected to test the applicant’s knowledge of the systems that are installed and operative during both the ground and flight portions of the practical test.”

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


The following terms have been auto-detected the question above and any answers or discussion provided. Click on a term to see its definition from the Dauntless Aviation JargonBuster Glossary.

Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.