Learn how to engage the FSX F/A-18 autopilot, use ATTH, HSEL, BALT, RALT and CPL, and fix modes that will not capture.
To use the autopilot in the default FSX F/A-18 Hornet, stabilise and trim the aircraft, press the UFC’s A/P function button, then select a mode such as BALT and HSEL with the adjacent option buttons. A colon beside a mode indicates that it is engaged; throttle control remains separate.
This applies to the stock Hornet supplied with FSX Acceleration, FSX Gold and FSX: Steam Edition. A boxed Standard or Deluxe installation without Acceleration does not include it, while add-on Hornets may have different controls and mode logic.
How do I engage the F/A-18 autopilot?
Use the Up-Front Controller, or UFC, to select the required hold modes after establishing steady flight.
- Stabilise the Hornet: reach a sensible airspeed, reduce the climb or descent rate, centre the controls and trim the aircraft. Do not ask altitude hold to recover from a steep climb or dive.
- Set the heading: if you intend to use HSEL, move the heading bug to the heading you want before engaging it. Our explanation of heading bugs, courses and bearings in FSX clarifies why changing the course or OBS setting will not command HSEL.
- Open the autopilot page: press A/P on the UFC. This displays the autopilot choices; pressing A/P alone does not engage a hold mode.
- Select a mode: press the small option-select button beside the required label. For ordinary cruise, select BALT to hold the present barometric altitude and HSEL to follow the heading bug.
- Confirm engagement: look for the colon beside each selected mode. If no colon appears, that mode is not active.
- Disconnect when required: select the active option again, or use the FSX autopilot-master command, normally
Zunless the control assignment has been changed.
The practical mistake we see most often is pressing A/P and expecting the jet to level itself. A/P opens the mode menu; the adjacent option button actually selects the hold. If the distinction between pitch, lateral and navigation modes is unfamiliar, see our plain-language explanation of simulator autopilot logic.
What do ATTH, HSEL, BALT, RALT and CPL do?
The five UFC options capture an attitude or reference that already exists; they do not ask for an altitude or route by themselves.
| Mode | What it does | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| ATTH | Captures the aircraft’s present attitude reference. | Holding a stable attitude temporarily. It is not the same as wings-level or altitude hold. |
| HSEL | Turns towards and holds the selected heading. | Vectors and normal cruise when paired with BALT. |
| BALT | Holds the barometric altitude at engagement. | En-route flight at a fixed pressure altitude. |
| RALT | Holds radar altitude, meaning height above the terrain beneath the aircraft. | Low-level flight over water or relatively even terrain. |
| CPL | Couples the aircraft to valid steering from the selected navigation source. | Tracking prepared navigation guidance rather than a manually selected heading. |
HSEL plus BALT is the normal combination for straightforward cruise. BALT and RALT are alternative vertical modes, while HSEL and CPL provide different forms of lateral guidance.
Use RALT carefully. Because it references the surface rather than sea level, the aircraft can pitch to follow changing ground height. It is unsuitable as a general cruise-altitude mode and can be dangerous over steep terrain.
Does the Hornet autopilot control airspeed?
No, the selected autopilot modes do not choose or hold an airspeed. Continue managing thrust yourself; any autothrottle or ATC function is separate, and its implementation can differ in add-on F/A-18 panels.
Why will the FSX Hornet autopilot not hold?
Most capture failures come from an unselected mode, an unstable aircraft or the wrong heading or navigation reference.
- No mode indication: pressing A/P only displayed the menu. Press the option-select button beside BALT, HSEL or the required mode and check for the colon.
- BALT will not capture cleanly: level off manually, establish a reasonable speed and reduce the vertical rate before trying again. If the aircraft keeps porpoising, check for a noisy joystick axis or duplicate pitch assignments.
- HSEL does not turn towards the expected direction: verify the heading bug, not the course selector. Also confirm that HSEL itself shows as active.
- The aircraft fights your controls: centre the stick once the mode is engaged. Continuous joystick input can oppose the autopilot and cause oscillation.
- Modes disengage unexpectedly: check whether the autopilot-master command or a disconnect control has been assigned to more than one button or axis.
Can the FSX F/A-18 autopilot follow a flight plan?
HSEL cannot follow a flight plan because it tracks only the selected heading; coupled route tracking requires CPL, valid steering information and the correct navigation source.
Prepare the active waypoint or navigation course before selecting CPL, and intercept the required track rather than expecting an immediate turn from any position. When using FSX GPS guidance, confirm that GPS rather than radio NAV guidance is feeding the autopilot and that a route leg is active. Our GPS and NAV capture troubleshooting covers those source-selection problems without duplicating them here.
Can the default Hornet autopilot land on a carrier?
No, the stock FSX F/A-18 does not provide a complete carrier autoland. CPL, ILS or steering cues may help establish the approach, but they do not manage the final carrier landing and arrestment. Disconnect with enough time to stabilise, control airspeed and hand-fly the approach.