Landing using Autopilot
jetway9
Guest
I usually land manually, but I tried landing using the autopilot apr button.
What I did was I flew the Beachcraft Baron and placed the frequency of the runway in the Nav 1 radio stack and set the course of the runway in the Horizontal Situation Indicator. As I got within 8 miles of the airport I turned on the APR button in the radio stack. I have the MKR button on but nothing else. I did not set the altitude or vertical speed. The plane flew toward the center of the runway as my altitude decreased.
When I was about Five Hundred feet and close to the runway, I released the APR button in order to fly the rest manually. The plane rose sharply upward and I stalled out.
Does anyone know what I am doing wrong? How can I keep the plane from rising like that?
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I used to have that problem a lot. It isn't something you are soing very wrong, but one thing you can try is to line yourself up with the runway horizontally and vertically so the AP doesn't overcompensate so when you disengage you don't pitch up or pitch down. 😉
jetway9
Guest
I decided to begin my approach from 10 miles out and was descending slowly in line with the runway on autopilot with the APR engaged. I disengaged the APR about 300 feet from the runway. It rose slightly this time but I was hoping it would not rise at all.
I tried this by landing at Snohomish Co. (Paine Field) from Seattle and when I engaged the APR the plane turned sharply to the right away from the airport. I dont understand why this happens
Your plane should not rise when you turn the APP mode off.
I think that your problem has to do with the trim.
Yes I think it is what Agus suggested. The AP sometimes does funny things to the trim and then when it disengages, you're left to pick up the pieces. Before you disengage make sure your elevator trim is set to 0. 😉
Exactly... But them increase your trim a little bit to land. Trimming the aircraft helps landing it. I usually have my trim set to 0.8 or 0.9 when I'm about to land. It works for me and the flares are so smooth.
Hello jetway9,
In two of your posts you mentioned that you "released the "APR".
That is not the same as turning off the autopilot. When you turned off
the APR you only told the autopilot to abort the approach. The autopilot
was still ON, so it tried to resume normal level flight. Since your speed on the approach is low you risk a stall. The problem may not occur if you turn off the autopilot completely by hitting the letter "Z" key. 😎
Jetway9,
You got some good advise here from the others. You know, it really comes down to the checklist. Go over the tutorials and square away on your check and you can fly these big planes or the Beech Baron in your sleep. -Good luck bro.
Paiute is right. you dont just turn off the APR you turn off the AP entirely, then it wont want to resume your original course/altitude.
jetway9
Guest
I meant to say that I turned off the autopilot and not just switched off the APR. I also suspected that the problem was the trim. I will check it out thanks for everyones advice.
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