How many people use autopilot on an approach?

I voted yes on the basis that its what I normally do - but not really because I don't want to make small adjustments, I just prefer it 😉

I voted yes 😉

...becasue in airliners I guess its more realisitic 😀

No I dont

Its not that I want to practice or anything, its just that I don't like the transition from manual flying (when I'm vectoring) to automatic flying (using App Hold), it tends to pitch down forcefully at first, even when I'm perfectly on glide slope, and there is no need to descent. So it pitches down, loses height, and then climbs up again to meet the glide slope and then it follows it

I would prefer to handle it normally.

Manual Only. 😉

to me i think autopilot is cheating. most long flights like from Chicago to Los Angeles i flew without autopilot

Autopilot is not cheating. Cheating is always using autoland, especially in good conditions or - even worse - at airports without full CATIII capability ;P

To answer the question, although I didn't vote, I land manually 95% of the time. By "landing manually" I mean do the whole STAR by hand. When flying heavies (the A340 comes to mind) I sometimes use the autoland, because they are kind of hard to land sometimes. In really good aircraft, like the PIC737, which handles well and actually trims well, I land manually almost always. I hate freeware that just won't trim well (although I suppose it's unavoidable).

I said "I THINK" im not saying that as that is what it iis its what I think. and i think that flying manualy really makes a pilot skilled. the pilots in WWII all the way to the Cold War I think were the best pilots around and ever will be becasue they didnt have all of this technology to fly their planes.

THEY really could fly the pilots nowadays can just sit back and drink Coffee and just have to watch their instraments and talk to the ATC everynow and then.

besides Autopilot takes the fun out of flying.

I am the guest that posted earlier in this thread

I dont use the Approach Hold in Autopilot, but I do use autopilot when up in the air, cruising, after all it gives the smoothest flight for pax, and also using the FMC to automatically follow the course in real world planes is far more economical, and uses less fuel and time

I don't use it on approach. It is way more fun to manually land it. Plus it feels like more of an accomplishment when you do it manually. 😀

I personally do it manually coz other than practicing, i wouldn't even use my joystick, coz only taxiing i need it and take-off, and if i don't use it for landing what the dahm point.

It depends on the weather but when the vis isnt to bad and winds are not to strong I will do do it without AP its just a lot more fun (I almost always do it manually).

Thats a rather general question you have asked, so I voted no.

When I fly VFR prop's (which is about 70% of the time) I land manually.

When I fly airliners I sometimes use ILS but also regually try manual appoaches just for fun 😉

i land manually no matter what i just get creattive when the VIS is low.

if its foggy and i only have about 5 Mi vis i turn on GPS, then estimate how far away from the runway i am then i estimate my decent rate and try to line up the best i can off the GPS and most of the time what i do works....imagine that....besides its funner to fly maualy 🙄

Manually

JarJarBinks wrote:

to me i think autopilot is cheating. most long flights like from Chicago to Los Angeles i flew without autopilot

It's not cheating at all, it's part of the "real as it gets" experience.

Think you've guessed my vote!!

CRJCapt wrote:

Manually

👍

Manual takeoffs and landings, otherwise A/P.

kianok, where did you get that pic from in your sig? it's crazy!