With ILS, FMC and such, a flight can be nearly fully flown and landed by the computer.

 

But they still don't have auto-takeoff, right? Or is that on some commercial flights now also? And I'm not talking about those pilot-less, fully automated test planes.

 

Overall, I was just wonder what is the LEAST amount of actual flying a pilot can do after being lined up on the runway ready for takeoff.

Pilots can hit EPR, N1, or TOGA depending on the plane, and that'll set your thrust, but they still have to keep the plane on the runway and pull back on the stick.

Pilots can hit EPR, N1, or TOGA depending on the plane, and that'll set your thrust, but they still have to keep the plane on the runway and pull back on the stick.

 

Then what? What's the soonest after the wheels leave the ground that they can hit Auto pilot, let go of the controls and only use buttons/dials for the rest of the flight?

It may vary, but I have always understood 400'agl is the minimum height requirement before AP will initialise.

As soon as an aircraft leaves the runway you can hit the AP (in FSX) and the computer takes over. The AP will not work on the runway. I think the closest to your OP is the FMC on an aircraft such as the PMDG 737 (of course with a properly programmed FMC). Many people light up the LNAV/VNAV before takeoff so that as soon as the aircraft gains altitude, the AP can be hit. If you have an addon like ProATC-X, the co-pilot can even pull up the landing gear and turn on the AP and you can sit back and eat a TV dinner.

 

Best regards,

Jim

Most planes will take off (i.e. leave the runway) by themselves if they go fast enough (at least the small ones). But I don't think they will do so under autopilot. I dooubt very much whether it is legal to do so. Once I saw a small plane upside down in a ditch at the end of the Palo Alto runway. Maybe that is what he tried...

 

Henri

Then what? What's the soonest after the wheels leave the ground that they can hit Auto pilot, let go of the controls and only use buttons/dials for the rest of the flight?

Earliest I've heard was 400 feet above the ground.

Then what? What's the soonest after the wheels leave the ground that they can hit Auto pilot, let go of the controls and only use buttons/dials for the rest of the flight?

 

Single aisle Airbus is 100ft or after 5 seconds from lift off, whichever is later.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Ian

Auto takeoff auto cruise, auto land, auto taxi. Why do we need a pilot? Alota fun that is.

It depends on the airplane and the autopilot.

*The FA-18 has an auto takeoff from a carrier.

 

Jerry

The L1011 Tristar was initially designed to have auto takeoff for use in low visibility. Apart from that, no other commercial airliner has ever been designed with that function in mind.

 

I can't really see a point in auto take off, for the same reason no airlines out there bother to get certification for CATIIIC approaches. The problem is not rolling along the runway but finding your way to or from the gate.

 

Taking off automatically in a heavy, powerful aircraft such as the A380 or B777 must be intense for the pilot, as vibrations increase and the end of the runway approaches, especially in low visibility. . . .

The problem is not rolling along the runway but finding your way to or from the gate.

 

as vibrations increase and the end of the runway approaches,

As soon as an aircraft leaves the runway you can hit the AP (in FSX) and the computer takes over. The AP will not work on the runway.

 

Set altitude, set flaps, set speed, release brakes, halfway down runway hit A/P and watch plane take off. Works with most jets.

Intense! Are commercial pilots required to calculate takeoff distance for every flight, even for flights involving light aircraft taking off from amply long runways?

 

Two other frightening takeoffs (especially had they been automated):

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