What is the purpose of the autopilot system?
To relieve the pilots workload, allowing more time to concentrate on other more pertinent flight details.
What are some functions that autopilots can provide?
1) Flight Stabilisation
2) Manœuvre Control (Heading /altitude hold)
3) System Coupling (Following a NAVAID)
What are the four classes of autopilot?
1) Single axis
2) Two axis
3) Three axis
4) Four axis
What type of autopilot does a single axis provide?
Provides control in roll about the longitudinal axis.
What type of autopilot does a two axis system provide?
Control about roll and pitch axes.
What do three axis autopilots control ?
Roll pitch and yaw
What do four axis autopilots provide?
Control about roll, pitch, yaw and altitude.
What are the five general components that make up a typical autopilot system?
1) Autopilot mode Control
2) Signal processing
3) Servos
4) Flight Control Surfaces
5) Sensing systems
What does the control function allow the pilot to do?
Allows the autopilot to engage/disengage the autopilot and instruct it to follow selected paths such as: Heading Track Altitude Rate of descent/climb
Can the flight direction system still work even if the autopilot function is not engages?
Yes
Draw a picture of the general autopilot layout?
Picture
What does the signal processing function of the autopilot do?
Provides requires signals for control into its to Serbia while receiving signals from control feedback and performance feedback signal.
What is the function of the servo in the autopilot system?
The servos are either electric or hydraulically assisted and they move the control surfaces.
What do the flight control surfaces?
Change the flight path of the aircraft
What do the sensing systems do?
They determine the change in flightpath or the aircraft to then feedback to the signal processing for further signal processing.
What are the three gyro references that are relevant to autopilot systems?
1) Rate gyro that senses angular movement
2) An attitude gyro which provides pitch and roll attitude
3) A gyro stabilised Heading Reference System
What are the two loops used to assist controlling the aircraft using the automated system?
1) Inner loop - detects unwanted changes such as wing drop by turbulence or gust
2) Outer loop - control loop that provides commands to change the aircraft state
What is the response to flight path errors from wind gusts or turbulence called? What does high and low gain mean?
Gain
- High gain means the autopilot will reacts aggressively to cancel errors quickly
- Low gain tolerates a degree of error for a limited time in exchange for a smoother ride
What are the 4 different systems that are a part of the Auto Flight Control System (AFCS)?
1) Flight Management Computers
2) Flight guidance and envelope systems
3) Auto thrust
4) Autopilot
What are the two modes when using the AFCS?
- Managed mode
- Selected mode
What is the managed mode of the AFCS?
Receives commands from the FMS or the MC
What is the selected mode of the AFCS?
Autopilot follows commands from the pilot.
What is the FMS?
The navigation heart of the aircraft.
What is the flight guidance computer?
Provides lateral and vertical guidance based on defined targets.
- Uses autopilot , auto thrust and flight directors
What does the flight director display?
Guidance orders from the FG computer on the PFD.
What are the two types of flight director displays?
1) Inverted V
2) FD bars
What is the principle behind children of the magenta line?
Automation dependency and loss of situational awareness that stemmed from it.
