What to do while on autopilot?

c172captain

Well-Known Member
So I'm going to be going a trip in the next two months to build about 100hrs in 3 weeks... That's a lot of autopilot time, unfortunately. What are some solutions you guys have while on autopilot or while your co-pilot is flying. So far I've thought of A- reading a book and/or B- my iPod. Anything else you guys use to solve possible boredom?

Sean
 
ipod gets boring after 3 songs. Best thing is to chat it up with the person next to you, if alone....well you're SOL. :)
 
So I'm going to be going a trip in the next two months to build about 100hrs in 3 weeks... That's a lot of autopilot time, unfortunately. What are some solutions you guys have while on autopilot or while your co-pilot is flying. So far I've thought of A- reading a book and/or B- my iPod. Anything else you guys use to solve possible boredom?

Sean

when im right seat reporting for traffic, i love my ipod.

or else USA today...
 
ipod get's boring after 3 seconds. Best thing is to chat it up with the person next to you, if alone....well you're SOL. :)

haha, ive shot ILS approaches on my Iphone sitting right seat in a 172...

im a tool, i know
 
So I'm going to be going a trip in the next two months to build about 100hrs in 3 weeks... That's a lot of autopilot time, unfortunately. What are some solutions you guys have while on autopilot or while your co-pilot is flying. So far I've thought of A- reading a book and/or B- my iPod. Anything else you guys use to solve possible boredom?

Sean


What ever you do, make sure you have a way to keep from falling asleep.
 
Watch for traffic.
Monitor gauges.
Pilotage.
Hand fly.

yeahthat.gif


It's a whole lot better than autopilot, and more fun too!
 
ESPN Radio, or if your in the Northeast, WFAN.

And of course if you have a blackberry you can always try and top your high score in "brick breaker"... Unfortunately i've reached a plateau of 9650 and just cant seem to get over it =( hehe
 
I always tell folks the Automation (autopilot) in an aircraft is like a student pilot. It will do exactly what you ask it to do. It does not use judgment, reasoning, or pilotage to make changes. Always monitor what is going on. On long flights, maybe 4 hours, you will find that there will be a decrease in action. Talk with your copilot, read up on the aircraft performance stats, procedures, destination weather, enroute weather, make a few pilot reports, double check your planned flight against actual fuel burn and routing, enjoy the scenery and hand fly a bit.

If you are time building then I assume you are doing it to build your experience. DONT waste your time and money doing things that dont build experience. If you want to zone out for 2 1/2 hours of a 3 hour flight then just buy an airline ticket and rent a 152 at the destination for a takeoff and landing. Yo owe it to yourself to get the most out of this experience.

Flying as a crew in a light twin or single can be great fun and very rewarding with both experience and personal company. If you have aspirations of professional flying (GA flying is professional too) then dont Ipod and Zone out. I recommend the above, you will reap the rewards later, trust me.

Good Luck
 
Playboy ! :D

Reminds of something I heard waiting for class last week,

"I am in the mile high club [pauses], and it was solo!"

His friend, "Oh, that is cool?"

That called for the double face palm.
 

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Read the NY Times, listen to your iPod, listen to AM radio on the ADF, do a sudoku puzzle or crossword, etc... Lots of stuff to keep occupied.
 
Listen, I know that the "proper" thing to do is to not fly by automation nor by being lazy. But the fact of the matter is, and I can second this from experience, after about 15 hours of hand flying/gauge monitoring/traffic watch, I'm either falling asleep or wishing that I picked a different profession. Going to the nay-sayers who say that I'm paying for time building so I should use it to actually build my experience, I do not want to sound arrogant nor do I want to sound cocky, but I have honestly fulfilled my VOR-tracking technique to perfect, my prop settings and mixture controls are also at peak skill level. Of course I will switch over to hand flying once I'm not enroute, but during the whole straight-and-level where there is no skill or thought involved, I'd like to be able to "enjoy the flight" as I guess you would say.
 
USA Today.

And if you think it's bad now, wait until the autopilot can actually fly the airplane, capture altitudes, fly your entire flight plan, yada yada.
 
USA Today.

And if you think it's bad now, wait until the autopilot can actually fly the airplane, capture altitudes, fly your entire flight plan, yada yada.

A couple of waypoints added to the GPS and I think some aircraft can do the 300' off the ground to 300' on approach on full automation. Not that I would suggest doing that!
 
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