Airplane Autopilot Takeoff?

Question

Hey I was wondering if there was such thing as an airplane autopilot take off. That like climbs to a certain flight level and then maintains a speed. Also is there such thing aas an automatic lander were for example you draw out a path on a gps screen and it automatically flies you there

Answer 1

Yes and No.

Before a airplane start rolling down the runway, the pilots use a mode called TO/GA mode. The TO/GA mode automated make the airplane go full thruster, but it won't go past 250kts (FAA regulations). Once the aircraft is airborne, the pilots then put the plane in auto pilot and the plane will initially climb to what ever the pilots assigned the plane to. The only thing the captain and 1st officer do is:

1st Officer -- Monitor the gauges and calls out the speed and when ready to rotate (lift off)

Captain -- Controls and gets the plane off the ground.

When about to land. autopilot is on but the pilot still flies the plane. The autopilot can line up for the center of the runway for the plane to land. But in order plane to do that, the pilot has to commend it. It's just like a dog. Autopilot only give you half commend and the other half has to be controlled by the actual pilot.


To answer your question about the gps, even the the air, airlines have routes they have to follow. Before the pilots board and even move the aircraft, they check the route they're flying from orgin to destination. Between their trip is a serious of waypoints on their gps they follow. Check out this website:
www.flightaware.com
It will provide you some information.

This website:
www.simroutes.com:
is where you create the route the plane flies to. I fly on flight simulator; and on VATSIM and we used the real world routes and navigation system. It's cool

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

I have never heard of an autopilot function for takeoffs. It would be extremely dangerous. The pilots need to be able to abort the takeoff in certain emergency situations, for example if an engine failed early in the takeoff run. If the aircraft were on autopilot, two steps would be required - turning odd the autopilot and then aborting the takeoff. It might be too late by then.

Autpilots can change altitudes, maintain speed, and maintain a predetermined course. They are frequently used for the cruise portion of the flight.

There are autoland systems which can land the aircraft by itself. However, they don't work by drawing on a GPS screen. They use navigation beacons and the airport's instrument landing system (assuming that the runway in question has an ILS).

Answer 3

Their are no amateur automatic landers, the system is way too unreliable even with gps systems they can only be soo accurate.

The autopilot can engage while your once In the air And bring you to a certain level and speed but its just too risky for Autopilot to control everything (this is why we have pilots). And due to the fact that the autopilot program company won't take such a big insurance risk if the autopilot fails.

(no their is not ameatuer automatic takeoff either)

Autopilot will take you Anywhere (usually in a straight line) and can make corrections from wind turbulence while flying, but it cannot land or takeoff planes during a normal occasion. All it can do is get you their.

Answer 4

In theory you could, the MCDU or FMC could in theory control when the plan rotates up to lift at the correct speed, the plane already KNOWS when it has to be done and at what speeds, the MCDU or FMC gives you V speeds for V1, V2 and V3. A plane can autoland entirely on it's own using ILS runways. the pilot literally does nothing until on the actual runway so julian's answer is a bit wrong.

It's not used but in theory yes a plane could Auto Takeoff if it had the right information, a plane's GPS system knows where each taxiway and runway is at an airport, and it knows how long it is, the exact location of it, etc. Planes are very advanced these days.

Answer 5

Yes there are systems that will allow a plane to take off and land on auto but these systems aren't used much in commercial airlines because no one really has put them into practice because of insurance and other non tech reasons.

The airbus family of airliners is a fly-by-wire system where computer is actually flying the plane and the pilot is really only applying input to the system. The airbus has an autoland system that will bring the bird down to a few meters above the button where the pilot takes it down that last few. Part of the problem actually is the aircraft knowing where it actually is in space GPS will get it close but it needs a greater degree of accuracy than the GPS system supplys to the civilian world this is where DGPS comes in but not many airports have installed this system.

Answer 6

to give u a complete answer first of all you have to know how the autopilot works. The autopilot cannot control the aircraft as a human being can, he can only adjust the ailerons, vertical stabilizer and the spoilers and the thrust lever. the autopilot can't to a lot of things, like setting the flaps or lower the gear... he can only control direction, altitude and speed. It's possible for the autopilot to take off but it's not safe cause the autopilot cannot use the rudder and in case of light wind the result can be very unpleasant.

Answer 7

Yes indeed. Autopilot works just fine more with flights than taxis or cars on the ground. Air traffic is and can be mostly controlled and monitored from ground so airplane can run on complete autopilot. That, however, does not eliminate the need to have pilots. You may read the link below, that explains more details.

Answer 8

Helicopter ILS landing is in existence, but is not thoroughly supported by airports. Nothing can take off on autopilot.

Answer 9

You can turn on the A/P master switch before rotation and it will climb the aircraft to the selected altitude, Tho i do NOT recommend it in RW,

And there are ILS Approaches, that will fly the aircraft to the runway

ILS CAT-I, II, III are for basically VERY VERY low visibility..

But the ILS's will fly you to the runway, they will not Land the plane...

Answer 10

In your other question, you claim to be a pilot for Southwest Airlines with 12 years seniority. Stop lying.