Use of A/P as a Precaution

[wabower]

Re: Use of A/P as a Precuation

Same here. Should we also admit to using cruise control on car trips, or would that be seen as a potential threat to our driving skills?

the hazardous condition I face is the boredome of cross country flight. the autopilot is the crutch I need to tackle this hazard.

 

[N801BH]

Re: Use of A/P as a Precuation

Same here. Should we also admit to using cruise control on car trips, or would that be seen as a potential threat to our driving skills?

ha.............. 2 diminsion - VS- 3 diminsion operating enviroment.... No chance of entering a graveyard spiral in the car with cruise control...

Unless you are racing down the corkscrew at Laguna Seca.

 

[douglas393]

Re: Use of A/P as a Precuation

the hazardous condition I face is the boredome of cross country flight. the autopilot is the crutch I need to tackle this hazard.

I guess I am the opposite, I find using the AP boring and hand flying more fun. Same in cars, though I use cruise control more so to make sure I do not speed...too much. Long car trips are boring to me, not so much with flying. But then again have been driving for close to 35 years and flying for only three.

 

[TMetzinger]

I know the ap is doing what it is supposed to do. I should have been clearer, but in any case it still is crapping out on me. Well I guess it is the AHRS and thus the G1000 and not the autopilot, but the result is the same.

What have the techs replaced in your plane?

If you have an intermittent fault in a system, and all the components "check out good", then that tells you that the tests that "check out good" are insufficient to detect the fault.

Could be wiring, could be a component. But SOMETHING is broken in your airplane.

 

[Fearless Tower]

Re: Use of A/P as a Precuation

The AH would tumble - not the AI. But hey - whats the right instrument among friends -

It is the same instrument.....but the FAA hasn't referred to it as an AH in years.

 

[Ted]

Re: Use of A/P as a Precuation

the hazardous condition I face is the boredome of cross country flight. the autopilot is the crutch I need to tackle this hazard.

And I also presume that you are comfortable hand flying an approach.

 

[douglas393]

What have the techs replaced in your plane?

If you have an intermittent fault in a system, and all the components "check out good", then that tells you that the tests that "check out good" are insufficient to detect the fault.

Could be wiring, could be a component. But SOMETHING is broken in your airplane.

After 4 different avionic shops, and 4 phone calls to Garmin I have gotten the same answer. Basically, it is sometyhing that happens with the G1000 deal with it. You can spend lots of money replacing components but as long as the components check out and you would be wasting money chasing the gremlin. As it has not affected my flying at all, and 99.9% of the time there is no issue I have just chocked it up to the other idiosyncracities of the G1000. Though I do mention everytime I get an upgrade, or go into service for avionics issues.

 

[Bob Noel]

Re: Use of A/P as a Precuation

Same here. Should we also admit to using cruise control on car trips, or would that be seen as a potential threat to our driving skills?

better analogy: cruise control is like trimming the airplane.

 

[Greg Bockelman]

Re: Use of A/P as a Precuation

the hazardous condition I face is the boredome of cross country flight. the autopilot is the crutch I need to tackle this hazard.

I take a different view. Not a Crutch. A tool. It is a TOOL to tackle the boredom hazzard.

I think a CRUTCH is something you use to get you out of a situation that you can't get out of by yourself. IOW, if you are using the autopilot to get yourself out of inadvertent IMC because you don't have the skills to do it yourself, it is a crutch.

Just my opinion.

 

[AuntPeggy]

But where is the break point of relying on A/P too much and at the same time beginning to loose your hand flying skills?

When you are inadvertent IMC, that is not the time to practice hand flying skills. Get out of trouble, then get your practice in.

 

[Ted]

Re: Use of A/P as a Precuation

I take a different view. Not a Crutch. A tool. It is a TOOL to tackle the boredom hazzard.

I think a CRUTCH is something you use to get you out of a situation that you can't get out of by yourself. IOW, if you are using the autopilot to get yourself out of inadvertent IMC because you don't have the skills to do it yourself, it is a crutch.

Just my opinion.

And what I was trying to convey.

It's also a crutch if you are unable to hand fly an instrument approach and need the AP to do it for you. Not saying you have to be able to fly the approach perfectly, but you should be able to fly the approach effectively.

 

[Skylane81E]

Let me know what I did when the OPs scenario happened to me.


Turned the HDG bug around 180 and turned the GPSS off.

Once I had ground contact back the decision making started, turning around and getting the hell back to VMC was not a decision, it was automatic.

I am proficient in hooded steep 180s hand flying at various bank angles, but I believe in using every tool at my disposal.

 

[JHW]

Re: Use of A/P as a Precuation

And I also presume that you are comfortable hand flying an approach.

I usually hand fly approaches, because it's often bumpy down low and I find it annoting how the autopilot fights every move. But in general, 99% of my plane travel is with stec working the controls. It's silly to have a tool and not use it for fear that it might stop working. I also don't drive nails with a pair of pliers because I'm worried about what I'd do if the hammer broke.

 

[Ted]

Re: Use of A/P as a Precuation

I usually hand fly approaches, because it's often bumpy down low and I find it annoting how the autopilot fights every move. But in general, 99% of my plane travel is with stec working the controls. It's silly to have a tool and not use it for fear that it might stop working. I also don't drive nails with a pair of pliers because I'm worried about what I'd do if the hammer broke.

The difference being that if a hammer stops working, you go buy another hammer.

If your autopilot stops working, you still have to get back on the ground. No big deal if it's nice weather out, but if you were uncomfortable in IMC, shooting approaches to mins, and that's when it breaks (Murphy and all)...

But to each his own. I like hand flying.

 

[JHW]

Re: Use of A/P as a Precuation

The difference being that if a hammer stops working, you go buy another hammer.

If your autopilot stops working, you still have to get back on the ground. No big deal if it's nice weather out, but if you were uncomfortable in IMC, shooting approaches to mins, and that's when it breaks (Murphy and all)...

But to each his own. I like hand flying.

au contraire. If I'm putting up our duck blind and I drop my hammer in the water, that is a loss on par with loss of control in IMC

 

[Ted]

Re: Use of A/P as a Precuation

au contraire. If I'm putting up our duck blind and I drop my hammer in the water, that is a loss on par with loss of control in IMC

Then you best keep a spare hammer handy. Or just use your head.