tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post4982646180388480487..comments2024-03-13T09:47:40.487+00:00Comments on Cockpit Conversation: We Control the VerticalAviatrixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13634111275860140084noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-25311062541871882692008-06-19T04:58:00.000+00:002008-06-19T04:58:00.000+00:00No autopilot, no ride. You can't do a single pilot...No autopilot, no ride. You can't do a single pilot PPC unless the aircraft is equipped with a working autopilot.Aviatrixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13634111275860140084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-31248643447215837992008-06-19T04:51:00.000+00:002008-06-19T04:51:00.000+00:00How about a piece of plastic looking just like the...How about a piece of plastic looking just like the plain unadorned "dashboard" of the instrument panel, a piece of chewing gum, and..voila..this plane HAS no autopilot.<BR/>Do autopilots have a professional association? I'll check on that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-42628989524841552032008-06-19T00:09:00.000+00:002008-06-19T00:09:00.000+00:00Er, that last should have read "PPC ride" not "ins...Er, that last should have read "PPC ride" not "instrument ride." A regular instrument rating can e achieved in an airplane without an autopilot.Aviatrixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13634111275860140084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-46177265469277506952008-06-19T00:08:00.000+00:002008-06-19T00:08:00.000+00:00In Canada a single pilot instrument ride requires ...In Canada a single pilot instrument ride requires a demonstration of competent use of the autopilot. That, if you've been reading for a few months, you may recall was the reason my two previous trips to renew my PPC did not result in a ride. A U/S sticker on the unit would result in the examiner leaving without conducting the ride and without refunding the prepaid fee.Aviatrixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13634111275860140084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-60671708434738209842008-06-18T18:24:00.000+00:002008-06-18T18:24:00.000+00:00Find a large sticky note. In felt marker on the f...Find a large sticky note. In felt marker on the front write "U/S" and stick it on the face of George, then go fly the test flight. "I'd love to show you my mastery of this particular unit however . . . . . ." <BR/><BR/>Those stickers work just as well in your aircraft as they do in our litle trainers I'm sure! I'm still tempted to push in the breaker and see if the autopilot is actually broken but I can't imagine my mother reading the news report. "Father, what is this thing they call runaway trim?" <BR/><BR/>I hope your interview/test went great!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-42359298665212749372008-06-18T17:10:00.000+00:002008-06-18T17:10:00.000+00:00Recently the FAA has required that pilots demonstr...Recently the FAA has required that pilots demonstrate use of the autopilot in their checkride, so the applicant needs to at least understand the autopilot they're taking the test in.<BR/><BR/>At the end of the day the autopilot is far less complicated than the GPS. Both are worthy of spending a few hours reading all the way through the manual.Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07500493389248967742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-27158794225234888182008-06-18T06:02:00.000+00:002008-06-18T06:02:00.000+00:00Aviatrix wrote: "As the pilot, you need to ensure ...Aviatrix wrote: "As the pilot, you need to ensure the correct power setting for the task; it's not an autothrottle"<BR/><BR/>You'd laugh or cry to see how many close calls occur when a pilot moves from an aircraft with autothrottles back to one without.<BR/><BR/>"Er, Captain... would you like climb power to go with that altitude change command?" As embarrassing as that is, at least it's less dramatic than the sound of the stall warning!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-16392611116349522182008-06-18T05:20:00.000+00:002008-06-18T05:20:00.000+00:00If anything, controlling autoflight on modern airl...If anything, controlling autoflight on modern airliners is easier than dealing with the AP on smaller planes. Airliner APs are much more refined to the extent that routine flying is more or less a pushbutton operation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-33794328184370504872008-06-18T00:24:00.000+00:002008-06-18T00:24:00.000+00:00Maybe there should be autopilot licenses, or at le...Maybe there should be autopilot licenses, or at least certification on individual models. :) Sometimes it sounds like controlling the autopilot is only slightly less complicated than flying the plane. Or maybe even more complicated, in the case of "modern" fly-by-wire airliners.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com