The first time I ever engaged an autopilot, it did something completely unexpected, and I quickly turned it back off. My checkout in the plane had covered just about everything-except the autopilot, so I was left on my own to figure it out. Since then, I've found that many pilots have had a similar experience when it comes to autopilot training. Even in more advanced training programs, questions and mis-perceptions abound.There are times when knowing how to use an autopilot (AP) can save your life, and there are other times when it can kill you-particularly if you don't know what you're doing. Remember, an autopilot doesn't necessarily do what you want it to do: It does what you tell it to do.
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