Why won't the Aerosoft CRJ autopilot engage in MSFS?

The Aerosoft CRJ autopilot in Microsoft Flight Simulator usually will not engage because the aircraft is below 600 ft AGL, the autopilot disconnect bar is down, the yaw dampers are off, or the controls are not centred and trimmed. Stabilise the aircraft, confirm valid flight instruments, then press AP on the flight control panel.

What must be set before the CRJ autopilot will engage?

The CRJ must be properly initialised, airborne above its normal engagement height and in a stable, trimmed condition. Work through these checks in order:

1. Complete the aircraft setup. Confirm stable electrical power and valid attitude and heading indications on the PFD. Finish any inertial and FMS position setup required by the selected starting state; a half-initialised cold-and-dark aircraft can leave flight guidance unavailable.
2. Switch on the yaw dampers. Use both yaw-damper channels for normal operation and check that no associated caution remains.
3. Raise the autopilot disconnect bar. The red disconnect bar on the flight control panel must be in its normal raised position. Pulling it down positively prevents autopilot engagement.
4. Set the flight directors and an initial mode. Turn on the flight directors and select a sensible lateral and vertical mode, such as heading mode while establishing the climb. The PFD flight-mode annunciator should show what the system has actually accepted.
5. Climb above 600 ft AGL. This means approximately 600 feet above the surface, not 600 feet indicated altitude. Do not arm the autopilot while still on the runway or immediately after lift-off.
6. Stabilise and trim the aircraft. Centre the controls and trim until releasing the yoke does not produce a rapid pitch change. Large control pressure or an out-of-trim condition can prevent engagement or cause an immediate disconnect.
7. Press the cockpit AP button. Confirm autopilot engagement on the PFD rather than relying solely on the appearance of the button. The active lateral and vertical modes should also be visible in the flight-mode annunciator.

Why does the CRJ autopilot engage and then disconnect?

An immediate disconnect usually points to a control input, trim command or conflicting hardware assignment rather than the selected route. The common causes are:

• A button or latching switch continuously sending Autopilot Off or an autopilot-disconnect command.
• Duplicate assignments across a yoke, joystick, throttle quadrant and keyboard.
• A noisy pitch or roll axis producing enough input to override the autopilot.
• Manual pitch-trim commands after engagement. The CRJ autopilot operates the pitch trim itself, and manual trim input can disconnect it.
• AI piloting or assistance features taking control of the aircraft.

Use the MSFS controls screen to search by input, then remove duplicate autopilot-disconnect and elevator-trim assignments. Calibrate the axes and add only enough dead zone to stop visible jitter. Testing with the cockpit AP button and unnecessary controllers temporarily disconnected quickly separates an aircraft problem from a binding problem.

A useful isolation test is to load a supplied ready aircraft state, depart in clear weather, climb above 1,000 ft AGL, establish a trimmed heading and engage the autopilot in heading mode. If that works, the installation is probably sound and something was missed during the cold-and-dark setup.

Why is the autopilot on but not following the route?

If the PFD shows the autopilot engaged, the engagement system is working; the problem is then the active flight-guidance mode or navigation source. Check the flight-mode annunciator before pressing more buttons.

• No route tracking: Confirm that the FMS is the selected navigation source, the route has no discontinuity and NAV is armed or active. Use heading mode to intercept the programmed leg if the aircraft is too far from it.
• No turn towards the selected heading: Check that HDG is active rather than merely selected on the panel.
• No altitude capture: Set the desired altitude and use a suitable climb or descent mode. An altitude displayed in the selector is only a target; it does not by itself command the aircraft to climb or descend.
• Speed increases or decays: The CRJ has no autothrottle. The pilot must manage thrust, and speed mode controls pitch rather than moving the thrust levers. Incorrect thrust can produce an overspeed, poor climb or near-stall even while the autopilot is operating correctly.

Our practical CRJ flight and mode workflow covers the wider sequence without turning this engagement check into a complete aircraft tutorial.

Is this a CRJ fault or an MSFS control problem?

The fastest diagnosis is to compare the CRJ with another aircraft and then repeat the test using a ready aircraft state.