What is autopilot, and who flies the plane?
The answer to “Is the autopilot flying the plane?” is this: autopilot is a tool, and the pilots always run the flight.
What does autopilot do?
Autopilot is a system that holds the heading, altitude and speed the pilots set. It takes on repetitive work, like holding the same settings for hours in cruise, while the pilots focus on the route, weather, fuel and talking to air traffic control.
What do the pilots do?
- Before takeoff they enter the route, altitudes and speeds into the system.
- Takeoff is usually flown by hand; the autopilot is switched on above a certain height.
- Throughout the flight they change settings following instructions from air traffic control.
- They request altitude or route changes because of weather.
- Most landings are hand-flown in the final stage; in very low visibility the aircraft can land automatically under the pilots' supervision.
Two pilots, two roles
In the cockpit one pilot flies and the other monitors and supports. They cross-check each other and read checklists together. This division of work is the basic way aviation operates.
Autopilot in turbulence
In light turbulence the autopilot usually stays on and steadies the aircraft gently. If needed, pilots set the speed recommended for turbulence or ask for a calmer altitude.
