This is the switch position you must set to have the autopilot actually fly the plane. When the flight director switch is in the AUTO position, the autopilot controls the plane. You fly the plane so that the attitude cue is level and centered in the artificial horizon to follow the autopilot course. Instead, it is controlling an attitude cue in your artificial horizon. When the flight director switch is in the ON position, the autopilot is still not controlling the plane. If you have engaged an autopilot mode and it doesn't appear to be working, check the flight director switch! If the plane does not have a flight director switch, engaging any autopilot mode automatically turns it on. If the flight director switch is OFF, your autopilot is OFF and does not fly the plane.

The flight director switch, if your aircraft has one, controls the operation of the autopilot.

However, the standard heavy metal airliner control set is pretty commonly used, so we'll go with that here. Not only that, but aircraft designers can provide custom graphics, so there's no telling what things will look like. X-Plane offers a lot of flexibility in the autopilot controls and you'll find different configurations on different planes. There is no simple answer to this question. Read the description carefully! If you're used to older X-Plane versions, the Autopilot Problems FAQ page will explain the major differences. Note! X-Plane 8.60 introduced a number of subtle but significant changes in how the autopilot works. Using the Autopilot - Version 8.60+ Autopilot FAQ

The autopilot will use them, and so you have to know their status.Īdditionally, a means of indicating and changing the selected heading (often integrated into the directional gyroscope) and the selected altitude (separate indicator and control) are very useful. PTCH and WLV are also activated by other modes, so it's important to have buttons (which also serve as indicators) for these functions even if you don't plan on using them. The reason for these four controls is that if the autopilot is first activated, pushing ONE button activates TWO autopilot modes:

HOLD (also labeled ALT in some button variants)Īdditionally, either a flight director switch or mapping a joystick button to autopilot disengage is required to switch the autopilot off.

In order not to lose track of the autopilot status, a plane should have at least 4 different autopilot mode switches:

1 Quick Help: Minimum Autopilot Equipment.

Autopilot addon fsx