Managing automation is a necessary skill, along the same lines as landing an aircraft in a crosswind or cross-country flight planning. More important, learning to use automation means learning what level of automation is best suited for the current aircraft state.
As a flight instructor, I would emphasize that the autopilot always will be the worst pilot in the cockpit. The autopilot is perfectly happy to fly into a mountain, diverge from protected airspace, or descend below minimum descent altitude, minimum en route altitude, et cetera. It’s imperative that the autopilot is properly configured as well as constantly monitored and managed.
More advanced aircraft will have multiple levels of automation that can help or hinder the crew. A proficient user will be able to identify which level of automation is appropriate for each phase of flight. Flying an ILS approach to minimums might be smarter with the autopilot coupled to the approach to provide a better overview of the situation. A visual approach in busy airspace might be better hand-flown to keep a heads-up view of the airport.
Additionally, a last-minute runway change during a visual approach can be managed easily with no automation. Switching off the autopilot and visually maneuvering to the new runway is as simple as aiming the pointy end of the aircraft at the new slab of pavement. This last-minute change could be programmed into the automation—but is it a good idea to be “heads down” in the immediate vicinity of the airport?
Conversely, programming the flight plan, arrival, and approach for a coupled autopilot to fly is a great way to use the automation. Close attention must be paid to the programming, however; as the old saying goes, “garbage in; garbage out.” With the entire flight plan loaded and coupled to the autopilot, management and monitoring becomes the focus instead of scrambling to find the next waypoint or course to fly.
The flip side to this proficiency coin is the fact that flying skills must be maintained, and the only way to maintain those skills is to fly the airplane. Turning off the autopilot and hand-flying the aircraft will ensure your skills are maintained and your confidence remains high. One day that autopilot will fail when you least expect it. Will you be ready?
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