Full flight Autopilot

[lovejoy0120]

I was watching a programme a few months ago on Discovery wings which featured an Airbus which from a stationary position could take off ,climb,cruise,descend and land on its' destinations runway using only Autopilot and the data the pilot input into it.Which aircraft is this ?

[heathfield]

Airbus A320 was designed with this facility. The pilot enters all the required flight parameters into the plane's computer system. However, landing requires the on-board computer to receive updates from ground-based landing control systems as the plane approaches the destination runway. These automatic landings have been taking place at airports for several decades now.

[Clanad]

While heathfield is generally correct, there are a number of aircraft, both old and new that have auto-land features, including autobraking. Probelm is, only major airports are equipped with all the electronics necessary to make it work. Although theoretically possible, no aircraft used in scheduled commercial aviation has a proven auto-take-off feature. Aircraft can be landed in near zero visibility conditions but take-offs are a different matter...

[lord molly]

the new airbus A380, the super giant, is able to do all of thoes. the airbus A380 can also make its own radio calls and is able to tell the piolots wha to do if there is an emergancy

[lord molly]

clanad :

the airbus A380, on its first flight around the uk, took off on its own, flew a special circut on its own and landed on its own.

[Clanad]

I understand what your saying lord molly, however, the A-380 will have about the same procedure for take-off as does the A-320. Once the aircraft is cleared fpr take-off, it's taxied into position onto the active runway, the thrust levers are advanced by the pilot flying and small switches on the levers are engaged (commonly called TOGA switches for Take Off Go Around.. The thrust levers then automatically control the amount of power to the engines through the auto-throttle system. The aircraft accelerates through several speed checks and at rotation speed the side stick (not in front of the pilot(s)) is used to initiate a nose up command to the level indicated by the flight director cross pointers. As the aircraft climbs through 800 feet, the autopilot can be engaged and the rest of the sequence is automatic, including any power reductions to comply with noise restrictions... all predicated on the flight plan previously entered in the autoflight system. The procedure can be manually flown if the pilot desires....Same basic procedures used onthe B-747-400 and other new generation Boeing aircraft...