Basic Autopilot Operation
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Autopilot Engagement — The autopilot may be engaged by pressing the AP Key on the mode controller or AP Button on the AXIS™ Flight Display Autopilot Interface. Annunciations regarding engagement are indicated on the PFW(s). Engaging the autopilot also engages the yaw damper.
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Autopilot Engagement with Flight Director Off — Upon engagement, the autopilot will be set to hold the current airplane attitude if the flight director was not previously activated. In this case, ‘ROL’ and ‘PIT’ will be annunciated.
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Autopilot Engagement with Flight Director On — If the flight director has already been activated, the autopilot will smoothly pitch and roll the airplane to capture the flight director guidance. The prior flight director modes remain unchanged.
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Autopilot Disengagement — The most common way to disengage the autopilot is to press and release the AP DISC Button on the control stick / yoke. Autopilot disengagement is indicated visually by PFD annunciation and aurally by an autopilot disconnect tone (pressing the AP DISC Button again or touching the AFCS Status Window on the PFW will acknowledge/silence the tone/alert). Other ways to disengage the autopilot include:
- Pressing the AP Key on the AFCS Mode Controller or the AP Button on the AFCS window.
- Pulling the Autopilot or AFCS Servos circuit breakers.
In the event of unexpected autopilot behavior, pressing and holding the AP DISC Button on the pilot's control stick / yoke will disengage the autopilot and remove all power to the servos.