Autopilots and coupled approaches
I have a KFC-200 autopilot in the aircraft I fly and I have always been able
to fly a better approach by hand than the autopilot does. Just the other
day while out doing practice approaches to a runway with a 12 kt crosswind
on the surface and a pretty good wind gradient and turbulence from the FAF
down to DH I decided to try a coupled approach to see how it would go - the
autopilot did a lousy job compared to what could be done manually.
This is also true of the flight director. In other words, I can shoot a
more precise approach using the instruments as opposed to following the
flight director.
How does this compare with others' experiences using the autopilot or FD to
perform a precision approach?
BDS
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