Autopilot engagement after lift-off. Request for information

[babotika]

A320 - I only engage otto after thrust reduction/acceleration as hand flying is more comfortable for the people in the back. Usually 2-3000ft. If it's nice and the airspace isn't too busy I may hand fly a bit higher but as someone else pointed out there isn't much skill benefit... It is fun though.

Coming down never lower than 1000ft and whenever the airspace, weather or traffic permits I'll try to fly visually or raw data. It really depends on how many instructions we're likely to get from ATC. Auto thrust off at least once a week.

[sheppey]

I bung it in at 200' so as to free up some capacity in the non-handler.

Where does the PNF come into this? Regardless if you are hand flying or plugging in the autopilot, the PNF does his normal job of selecting gear and flaps at your direction, reading the checklist and handling the radios with maybe a few prods at the CDU. That is not exactly hard work so what's this business of "freeing up some capacity" for the non-handler?

[Dream Land]

Airbus

I wait until 500 FT, there is no skill involved to manually follow flight director bars (or satisfaction), I see many FO's doing this to about 3000 FT and wonder if they get some sense of accomplishment from this, I could train any 13 YO off the street to hand fly an Airbus to 10,000 FT, this has nothing to do with actually knowing how to fly.

D.L.

[FullWings]

Where does the PNF come into this? Regardless if you are hand flying or plugging in the autopilot, the PNF does his normal job of selecting gear and flaps at your direction, reading the checklist and handling the radios with maybe a few prods at the CDU. That is not exactly hard work so what's this business of "freeing up some capacity" for the non-handler?

With our SOPs, it means that I, as HP, can do MCP mode selections, FMC alterations, maybe even tune the radio while the NHP is talking. In extremis, make flap/gear selections, although I generally don't do that.

I agree that none of these activities are particularly onerous but they sometimes all happen in a short timespan on a busy departure. It seems an unequal division of labour between me holding the control column (not much effort) and my opposite number working like a one-armed paper hangar with all the potential for errors and omissions which that brings. Also, I think it comes under the heading of good CRM: using the autopilot and in so doing, taking workload off the NHP, gives the NHP more spare capacity to monitor the performance of the aircraft.

I fly an aeroplane certified for operation with a minimum complement of two type-rated pilots. Yes, it is quite possible to fly it solo but why? I don't work for a "man and boy" outfit so would rather share the workload equally than pile it all on the fellow professional sitting next to me...

[Natstrackalpha]

Hey, Slasher - thanks for those! I was looking for the Bhutan App for ages. super VMC approach - as you said, not allowed in IMC - kewel approach!!!

(don`t tell me they did that in a 330? English, long way from home = 330 - it has to be a 320, or not?) Nice manual handling . . I am sure there is another approach to the same place but from a different gully, a lower, more picturesque (if thats possible) approach. anyway, great video - hope to go there soon. (doubt it) Was it an A320?
I think it was - eng sound `an ` all that.

Nice video.