My Flying News

Yes, to both. Generally speaking, pilots take off and land the airplane, and the autopilot controls the aircraft enroute.

In modern airliners (transport category aircraft), the auto-pilot systems are designed to fly the aircraft from soon after takeoff to soon before the landing. Some systems can even perform the landing if necessary.

How much the automation flies vs. the pilot depends upon the aircraft, installed equipment, the weather, regulations, and company procedures. Automation usage also varies by culture, both by country and company culture.

Based on the abovementioned rules and procedures, the pilot flying decides when to engage and disengage the autopilot. Also, turning off the autopilot can mean different things in different aircraft. For example, Airbus airplanes will still provide envelope protection with the autopilot disconnected.

Is the auto-pilot or a real pilot better?

Yes, to both again. Both are important. This is a hot topic in aviation. Single pilot and pilotless aircraft is a topic for another blog post. Many believe that pilots are the weak link. They may be right. Pilot error is statistically a significant cause of accidents and incidents.

However, remember that all the airliners being operated today were designed in the last century. They were intended to be operated with a human and machine interface. Pilots and flight attendants are crucial to the safety of flights.

Most airline pilots will tell you they have witnessed the auto-pilot turn off and give up during turbulence. Most pilots have seen the automation turn the wrong way or do other seemingly weird things.

In addition, there have been recent accidents where lack of pilot airmanship was a contributing factor. Pilots should keep their flying skills sharp and not completely rely on the automation.

Does the auto-pilot or real pilot fly smoother?

I hate to admit it, but the auto-pilot generally flies smoother and a more accurate route. Pilots are flight managers who deal with fuel, passenger comfort, communicating with air traffic control, and coordinating with the company.

Flying an exact route path, altitude, and airspeed would require hyper-focus, which would cause their other duties to suffer. The automation is also usually capable of minor control corrections, while pilots can be “ham-fisted.”