Can FSX autopilot fly a complete flight? Learn which phases it handles, what remains manual, and where GPS, ILS and autoland fit.
No. In FSX and FSX: Steam Edition, the autopilot can follow much of the airborne route, hold a selected altitude and, in suitably equipped aircraft, control speed. It does not normally taxi, take off, manage the full vertical profile, land, brake and taxi to the gate without pilot input.
What parts of a flight can FSX autopilot fly?
FSX autopilot can handle most of the cruise and selected parts of the climb, descent and approach, provided the pilot configures each mode correctly.
| Flight phase | What autopilot can do | What the pilot must do |
|---|---|---|
| Taxi | Nothing | Steer, control speed and brake |
| Take-off | Normally nothing | Set power, rotate, climb and stabilise the aircraft |
| Climb | Hold heading or follow a route; climb towards a selected altitude | Select the altitude and climb mode, manage power and monitor speed |
| Cruise | Follow GPS or radio navigation and hold altitude | Monitor the route, fuel, weather and ATC instructions |
| Descent | Descend at a selected vertical speed or pitch mode | Choose when to descend and set each altitude, speed and rate |
| Approach | Capture an ILS localiser and glideslope when correctly configured | Tune and verify the ILS, establish a suitable intercept and configure the aircraft |
| Landing and taxi-in | Usually not supported by default aircraft | Flare, land, brake, vacate the runway and taxi |
The autopilot master switch alone does not fly the route. You must select modes such as heading, NAV, altitude hold, vertical speed or approach. Aircraft fitted with autothrottle can hold a selected speed, but the pilot still chooses that speed and manages the configuration.
How do I make autopilot fly most of the route?
The practical method is to fly take-off manually, engage autopilot once safely established, let it follow the planned route, then manage the descent and approach yourself.
- Create and load the route. Use the stock planner and confirm that the route appears in the GPS; our FSX Flight Planner instructions explain how the route and navigation source work together.
- Take off manually. Establish a safe climb, retract the gear and flaps as appropriate, and trim the aircraft before engaging autopilot.
- Select the lateral mode. Use heading mode for vectors. To follow the stock GPS route, select GPS as the navigation source and engage NAV mode. Conventional radio navigation requires the correct frequency, course and NAV source.
- Control the vertical profile. Set the cleared altitude and use the aircraft's climb or vertical-speed control. The stock FSX GPS does not command a complete climb-and-descent profile.
- Prepare the approach. Slow and configure the aircraft, tune the required navigation aid, and intercept from a sensible position. For an ILS, follow the localiser and glideslope setup procedure.
- Disconnect for landing. Unless the specific aircraft explicitly models autoland, disconnect with enough time to stabilise, trim and land manually.
Why won't FSX autopilot fly the loaded flight plan?
A loaded flight plan supplies route data, but it does not automatically select the correct autopilot modes or manage altitude and speed.
- Wrong navigation source: NAV mode may be following a radio receiver while the route is displayed on the GPS.
- No active GPS leg: The route can be visible without the expected leg being active.
- Heading mode remains engaged: The aircraft holds the heading bug instead of turning onto the GPS route.
- Altitude hold is misunderstood: Selecting a lower altitude does not always start a descent; a vertical-speed or other descent mode must also be commanded.
- ATC has issued vectors: FSX ATC does not operate the autopilot for you. Set each assigned heading and altitude yourself.
If the aircraft refuses to turn along the route, use our GPS and NAV mode fault checklist before rebuilding the flight plan.
Can FSX autopilot land the aircraft automatically?
Do not assume that an FSX aircraft can autoland merely because approach mode follows an ILS glideslope.
Default aircraft can usually remain coupled during much of an ILS approach, but a true autoland also requires correctly modelled flare, touchdown and sometimes rollout functions. Some advanced add-on aircraft provide these systems; many do not. The runway must also support the required ILS operation, and the aircraft must be configured within its limits.
Our explanation of autopilot use and autoland on final covers that distinction. Even with a capable add-on, taxi, take-off preparation, system configuration and monitoring remain pilot tasks, so it is still not a completely automatic gate-to-gate flight.