Find which MSFS 2024 helicopters have autopilot or AFCS, what each system can hold, and why trim, SAS and AI assistance are different.
In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, the Airbus H125, Robinson R66 and Airbus H225 offer pilot-selectable autopilot modes. The Boeing CH-47D uses an automatic flight-control system with useful hold functions. Other included helicopters mainly provide trim, stability augmentation or simulator assistance rather than a coupled autopilot that can follow a route.
Which MSFS 2024 helicopters have a working autopilot?
The practical choices are the H125, R66, H225 and CH-47D, although their systems differ considerably. We classify them by what the simulated cockpit can control, not by equipment that may be optional on the real aircraft.
| Helicopter | System | Practical capability |
|---|---|---|
| Airbus H125 | Autopilot and flight director | Conventional heading, navigation and altitude-related modes for forward flight. The pilot must still manage power and monitor speed closely. |
| Robinson R66 | HeliSAS-style stability and autopilot installation | Basic heading, navigation and altitude workload reduction where the autopilot mode controller is fitted. It is not an automatic-hover system, and collective control remains manual. |
| Airbus H225 | Four-axis automatic flight-control system | The most capable helicopter system in the included fleet, with coupled flight and low-speed or hover-related functions where those modes are simulated. |
| Boeing CH-47D Chinook | AFCS | Stabilisation and hold functions suited to the Chinook. Its controls and mode logic do not behave like a Garmin or airliner autopilot. |
Aircraft availability depends on the MSFS 2024 edition and any aircraft entitlements attached to the account. Our comparison of the included MSFS helicopter fleet explains which editions contain each model.
Which helicopters do not have a conventional autopilot?
The Cabri G2 and Bell 407 are primarily hand-flown in their default MSFS 2024 configurations. The Erickson S-64F has workload-reducing flight-control and precision-hover features, but it should not be treated as a general-purpose GPS-coupled autopilot for flying a planned route.
A visible GPS display does not prove that a helicopter has autopilot. It may provide navigation guidance without servos capable of moving the flight controls. Likewise, force trim or SAS can hold an attitude temporarily without capturing a heading, altitude or flight-plan leg.
What is the difference between helicopter autopilot, SAS and trim?
Autopilot commands the flight controls to maintain a selected target, while a stability augmentation system damps unwanted movement. Force trim changes the control position the helicopter treats as neutral; it does not independently fly to a selected waypoint or altitude.
This distinction matters most in the H125, R66 and CH-47D, where several systems can be active at once. Our explanation of helicopter trim, SAS and autopilot interaction covers the control-release and trim behaviour that often feels like an autopilot fault.
MSFS piloting assistance is separate again. Assistance can control an aircraft that has no cockpit autopilot, but it is simulator-level AI control rather than part of the helicopter's modelled avionics.
Why will the helicopter autopilot not engage?
A helicopter autopilot usually needs stable forward flight, the correct navigation source and its servo or AFCS master enabled before a mode can capture. Pressing a generic autopilot binding while hovering erratically will not turn an unequipped helicopter into an autopilot-equipped one.
- Flight director only: Guidance bars may appear while the servos remain disengaged. Confirm that the autopilot or AFCS master is active.
- Wrong navigation source: NAV mode cannot follow a flight plan when the system is still using an incompatible source or has no active route leg.
- Untrimmed controls: Large cyclic pressure or noisy controller axes can make the autopilot fight the pilot, exceed its authority or disconnect.
- Manual collective required: On lighter installations, altitude and speed changes still require careful collective management even with lateral guidance engaged.
- Aircraft not equipped: An assigned
Autopilot Mastercommand does nothing useful when the selected helicopter lacks modelled autopilot servos.
For the common mode sequence and navigation-source checks, see our MSFS 2024 autopilot operating guide. Helicopter-specific technique still applies: stabilise and trim first, engage the master, select one mode at a time, and verify each capture on the cockpit annunciations rather than assuming the button press worked.