Tutorial #9 - Autopilot Basics - Microsoft Flight Simulator

[@SylwesterYT]

*For those who want a quick summary of the video:* - The AP button turns on the autopilot system. The autopilot system alone does not do anything, though. - The FD button turns on magenta-colored indicators on your display showing you what the autopilot is currently trying to do. - The HDG button makes the autopilot steer your airplane to a specific course. If you set the heading (using the HDG knob) to 180° the autopilot will make your plane turn to 180° (which is south). - The ALT button makes the autopilot hold your current altitude. You do *not* need to press it to make your autopilot aim for a specific altitude. However, it turns on automatically once the selected altitude has been achieved. The autopilot does not try to achieve the altitude automatically, you need to give it an input by using either FLC or VS (see below for explanation). - The NAV button makes the autopilot follow the flight route you created. This does only affect the course, not the altitude. Pushing the NAV button overrides the HDG and vice-versa. - VNV, APR, and BC have not been discussed in this video. - The VS button makes the autopilot achieve a specific vertical speed independent from the current airspeed. By using NOSE UP and NOSE DN you can set the vertical speed the autopilot is supposed to achieve. The autopilot will try to achieve the vertical speed by manipulating the airspeed. - The FLC button makes the autopilot achieve the set altitude while trying to hold the current airspeed. This might take long or won't work at all if the throttle does not allow that. At this point intervention by the pilot is necessary. - Both VS and FLC are turned off once the set altitude is reached. - The ALT knob allows you to set the altitude the autopilot is supposed to achieve. The outer knob increases/decreases the altitude target in increments of 1000 ft while the inner knob increases/decreases the altitude target in increments of 100 ft. Remember: The AP button is the most important button. Everything you set will not be applied until the autopilot is being turned on. However, this means that you have full control over the aircraft once the autopilot is turned off by pushing the AP button again. I didn't understand what the NAV setting is about but I am sure somebody else will be able to clarify that or it will be mentioned more thoroughly in a future video. If I have forgot anything or you have any questions feel free. I am new myself, but I will try my best to answer questions.

[@richavery66]

An excellent summary - thank you! The NAV button will make the AP follow the selected route, as you said. Using the CDI soft-key along the bottom, you select whether it follows the GPS track (magenta line on the flight plan in the MFD - the screen on the right), or a straight line to a VOR station (often called a radial) - tuned to using the navigation radios in the upper left corner. If the display in the middle of the direction indicator is magenta, the GPS path is active, and if it's green, a VOR station is active. (The display near the top also shows which has been selected.)

[@SylwesterYT]

@@richavery66 Thanks for the positive feedback and for adding this actually very important bit of information. When I was flying the King Air I was wondering why NAV wouldn't work but the problem was sitting in the pilot's seat, after I switched to the GPS route it worked like a dream.

[@YakobtoshiNakamoto]

@@richavery66 Just to add even though might be a little advanced for this video. When setting up for an ILS approach, AP doesn't automatically change the CDI to LOC once it has intercepted the localizer. This is a known bug and will be fixed soon. For those that are looking to do ILS, you will have to use the CDI button to manually select LOC on ILS approach.

[@richavery66]

@@SylwesterYT It gives a great sense of satisfaction when you figure something like that out, doesn't it?

[@richavery66]

@@YakobtoshiNakamoto Thank you for the information, Jake. It'll be good when they get that bug fixed. TBH, I've spent a lot of time in the sim flying VFR over various parts of the world and have yet to do any IFR work. I was thinking of doing an IFR flight in the TBM into Innsbruck and seeing what the Garmin 3000 has to offer.

[@GregTheReaper]

I just love how you explain things to us like adults, so clear and to the point. No mindless babbling or repeating things. As someone with pretty much no flight experience your series has helped a ton! Can we have a cold start tutorial for each of the Cessna models used so far? I think that'd be a nice progression.

[@alexhawthorne1847]

Greg TheReaper Not sure if you know this, but there is a checklist in the game that can help you with this. Press shift c and it will bring up a checklist teaching you how to start up aircraft from cold and dark.

[@GregTheReaper]

@@alexhawthorne1847 The more you know, thanks man :D

[@AndySolid007]

@@alexhawthorne1847 The Checklist does seem to be unfinished with some aircraft.

[@voltronhasguns]

Where in game can I set I want to do cold starts? I've looked in assistance and couldn't find it

[@jalrok]

@@voltronhasguns Set your departure to a ramp/gate rather than a runway after you pick the airport and you will start cold.

[@system1542]

Top class tutorial, more clear and coherent than most other videos out there

[@ww3032]

And he's getting better at it too!

[@southy7523]

Miles better than the built in flight school as well!

[@teapot8781]

Gaming gim

[@SpottopsNL]

@@southy7523 100%, after playing the in-game tutorials I could only take off and fly around a little bit. Landing, aligning my plane to the runway and generally keeping control of my plane was a huge problem. Then I followed his tutorial and since then I havent crashed once, landed every time I took off and feeling generally confident in my abilities to fly the Cessna 152 without any problems. Even picked a place where I knew the wind was heavy, but by applying the concepts he taught me I had no real issues. If you told me a week ago that I could actually fly this plane, I wouldnt have believed you.

[@TechandTools1]

Agree, very helpful and clearly explained.

[@marcel-koks]

Great tutorial. One addition though; when you engage the AP without setting anything for VS, it will capture and hold the current pitch. That's what PIT mode does; hold the current pitch. Remember, anything in green is an ACTIVE mode. Everything in white is an armed mode, waiting to become active.

[@MLunenborg]

Great addition. Should be top comment. @squirrel notice this man!

[@marcel-koks]

@@MLunenborg No problem, happy to help. I spent sooo much time on AP's, in SIM as well as IRL. I have experience with the Garmin GFC700 (in the G1000), the Bendix-King KAP140 and the S-TEC 55. Used them all in IRL.

[@marcel-koks]

@sp1878 It doesn't capture what the FD is showing (the FD is optional and only showing the commands that 'would' be sent to the AP if engaged), it captures your actual pitch angle. At least, real G1000's do that. ;-)

[@marcel-koks]

@sp1878 And yes, when green, the AP is managing the pitch. Forcing it with the yoke doesn't work (unless CWS is pressed and hold on the yoke), it may even take the AP off (i think the video showed that?). Be aware, the G1000 is not perfect yet in this sim, it does and doesn't do things i know to work in real A/C.

[@marcel-koks]

@sp1878 Yes, FLC works both for ascent and descent. Remember that you would need to select a higher speed for FLC (as you want to have the nose pointing down = more speed), or, take back power. When you press FLC, it assumes the speed at that moment (look at the annunciation). So, to get it to go down to your selected altitude, either select a higher speed with the button on the G1000, or reduce power. Both should work getting it down.

[@shadheon5917]

No way!!!! You really did the autopilot tutorial I was waiting for this one thanks so much for these awesome tutorial can't wait to watch this one! Big love! ❤️

[@FrancoW1]

Same here! I've searched for autopilot tutorials but they all just spoke about the AI autopilot, which is not what I wanted to know.

[@mwpaska]

Squirrel, your tutorials are top notch. I fly professionally, and though I can’t vouch for the G1000, these autopilot basics apply to most aircraft (with a few minor differences).

[@ArcticX9]

Fingers crossed for an IFR tutorial! I'm eager to learn how to fly that way.

[@PacTheOne]

less flying and more programming in :3

[@natephillips6890]

@@PacTheOne well its helpful when the conditions require it

[@richardwhittall5470]

Get your instrument rating in one simple video lmao

[@pug2858]

not possible for long haul flights rn, its really buggy and always crashes with Nav and Alt Hold for me sad

[@chrisuofa959]

Fresh out of MSFS's training and I don't know how many videos I have watched attempting to explain autopilot. This video easily the best. So glad I found this one. Just wish I had found it first.

[@yuchenli4641]

Nice! Could we have future videos on basics of IFR and avionics?

[@unclejerry486]

on the CJ4 ;)

[@yuchenli4641]

@KWC Coin Yeah I thought the same. Would be very nice if we can get introduction to navigation via VOR, DME, etc. Plus radio will be very helpful too.

[@RocketAnthem]

No I won’t be doing videos on those topics

[@thecorporatepilotdad]

@@yuchenli4641 I did a video on VOR navigation and DME. It might help you out. I am a professional pilot and before flying jets I was a flight instructor - I'm not just a simmer.

[@yuchenli4641]

@@thecorporatepilotdad That's so nice! thank you sir!

[@jguy1987]

Squirrel, You need to become a CFI. Like, now. This series has helped me so much - I was able to take off and fly around my local airport in the sim and not be in such unstable flight.

[@rajendra82a]

I agree. Before listening to his tutorial, I had not heard of PAT when climbing and APT when leveling off. Now it's clicked, and I can do so much better than before. Invaluable advice.

[@corecollider6998]

Thank you for this very easy to understand tutorial. All other Autopilot tutorials on KZbin are like „I have no clue but I pushed a few buttons. Now let me show you.“ Your tutorial is „I know what I am talking about, now let me explain it step by step.“ THANK YOU! 👍

[@johnhenderson3994]

Thank you! I appreciate your patient, thorough, step-by-step explanations. Too many times individuals familiar with their subject matter make erroneous assumptions about the prior knowledge of their audience. Your level of detail in the tutorials you are offering to us really helps. Please consider continuing that level of detail in your future tutorials.

[@paulphibbs5362]

You repeated yourself on the description of Heading for over 180deg. However you forgot to mention pressing the heading knob to recenter on the current heading. Still a very enjoyable tutorial. Thanks.

[@VanillaLibrarian]

Isn't that what he brings up at 7:04?

[@benduker]

Yep I think he recorded two takes for that and accidentally included both of them. Oh well, still a super informative video.

[@agentbb007]

Phew I thought I was losing my mind or got transported into what a what about bob moment.

[@drdking0]

Thank you so much for this! I've been struggling to get a hang of the auto pilot all week. I now understand why I couldn't get it to actually get me to the altitude I wanted.

[@lloydavontuur3018]

Just got to leave a huge thanks here for your Squirrel, even with just the Xbox controller on my S Series, this was easy enough to follow and I even managed to do a deadstick landing. Your tutorials are wonderfully "dumbed down" enough for a novice such as myself, but still very informative. I can't wait to get through all of your material. Thanks for being a great resource and I and the rest here from what I can see, really do appreciate your patience and enthusiasm. Keep up the good work!

[@thesmokingrooster8791]

A year late but many thanks for this video, I can now confidently fly from one airport to another, I started with local airports, now I am expanding outwards towards areas I have never been, so much fun. Thanks again!!

[@gsdmaxima9643]

Remember - This Video was made on or before August 25. Since then MSFS has had 3 "updates" as of Oct 1st, 2020. He is NOT flying the updated version that we have now, -- that seem to be having all these aircraft vertical instability issues. His version trims correctly (and RL realistically) , and is 100 times easier to fly than what we have now. GREAT Video Squirrel, and great Reference to what the C150 was when the Video was made.

[@houstonb9646]

Much needed tutorial on how to use autopilot. Now I feel a little bit more confident and less intimidated about all those buttons when flying. Thanks alot Squirrel 🙏🏾

[@murro4465]

I have to say as a noob to anything flying, other than being a passenger on commercial and military planes. Your tutorials have been a life saver in MFS, I was so lost when I powered up this sim.

[@kamaradski1]

i would eventually also enjoy a VOR navigation course if you want. sounds interesting to learn. kindly put on your list of tutorials to make in the future :)

[@sagacup709]

I'm very interested to learn VOR as well. Watched few KZbin videos, but I'm sure squirrel will be able to teach it better

[@joshii9263]

I love your tutorials so far! I´m simming for 4 years now and realizing that I missed a lot and did a lot wrong. Could you make something about throttle, mixture (and propp) management?

[@newqlar]

Dear sir, dare I say your support for FS2020 and the content you create make this amazing sim all the more worthwhile :) Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to make these daily training videos. Keep em’ coming please. There’s so much more to learn. Stay safe my friend. Cheers!!

[@GarethJohnson]

Very clear explanations. So many experts are not that good at explaining in coherent clear steps for beginners. Instant subscribe for the rest of the tutorials, thanks...

[@sublucky74]

That was fantastic and a great refresher for me as I hadn’t flown a flight sim in 15 years and couldn’t remember what to do.

[@JoeSmoe1]

Only thing i need to know is why does the AP flip out sometimes when I turn it off for a bit then turn it back on? It trims the plane 100% up or to the left or right causing the plane to crash

[@Olchann]

attaches to the question

[@nufcfan123]

Yes I've seen this. It seems to happen after Active Pauses for me

[@sivoltage]

@@nufcfan123 exactly the same for me too.

[@SirTime10]

I have been having that same issue, the AP trims the plane up and stalls it if I let it carry on.

[@andrewhowe4266]

Even just going into Drone cam and back can be enough to turn it suicidal sometimes

[@henrythornalley2559]

Great video, I had no idea how AP worked until I watched this. Trying to use Flight Sim to learn how to fly a Cessna on instruments only, eventually! This series is helping greatly, appreciate the breakdown in laymans terms.

[@robertpelland5649]

I have seen more tutorials on the G1000, then care to admit to, however nothing I have seen so far compares to the basic quality of information that I have obtained watching this video. First class is an under statement, have just become a permanent follower of all Squirrels videos.

[@sciencewizard8805]

I love that the video is designed to play along with the video. Should make it easier to actually learn.

[@Sam-gf6ue]

if i remember correctly you click at the top of the heading wheel in order to switch between single and ten degree mode. I think its trying to simulate pulling the wheel out like when you change time on a clock!

[@m5maniac2001]

I found just clicking either the left or right of the knob to decrease/increase instead of scrolling with the mouse wheel. I think with the A320 you can click to change the ALT units like you mentioned.

[@PcKaffe]

This is excellent. I really want to know more about VORs so I can use the old planes better. The computer planes are quite logical to me but all those gages are making my head spin :)

[@richardwhittall5470]

VOR navigation is super fun and super logical as well once you get the hang of it. There are a lot of good videos on how to navigate using VOR radials.

[@moonasha]

the rate at which you put these videos out has been great. Gives us enough time to practice then by the time we get good enough there's more stuff to practice

[@jackbackus2117]

it's been a year since you published this video. I needed a refresher course, and I just wanted to thank you again for your great tutorials. I always feel like you are my instructor sitting next to me, and the nice, simple instructions you give.

[@travis9144]

Amazing, please keep these coming... I will thumbs up every one, wish I could subscribe more than once!

[@joaocalhandro]

Squirrel!! If your KZbin career ever fails, open a flight school.

[@GoodCharless]

This is the only tutorial I am able to understand. Straight to point. Clear and direct instructions. Thanks Squirrel =)

[@tradinglifer]

These are the best tutorials i've seen for serious beginners that want to actually learn and not just flight. Congrats! Amazing channel

[@AidenMLynch]

I just got into msfs and have been looking everywhere for the right kind of videos with the right pace and explanation for me to follow. You videos are helping me tremendously. Thank you so much !!!

[@quecksilber457]

I beg you to do an in depth G1000 Tutorial as a follow up. I know there are a lot out there, but we know that a lot of things are still missing in FS2020s Version of the G1000. So a tutorial for exactly that version would be so awesome.

[@sleeplesson]

I'm looking forward to something like that too. Especially learning to program from scratch or modify a flight plan in game rather than relying on the initial setup.

[@jom1439]

Oh yes - did a flight with the tbm9 the other day and wanted to alter my STAR and approach - no chance felt like my grandma figuring out how to get her iphone to do something :D

[@Croz89]

@@sleeplesson Though the idea of it being already loaded isn't that far from reality, you can push flight plans from your tablet to the G1000 via Bluetooth.

[@MrPhantom453]

^ This please. Willing to name my first born son "Squirrel" if you do that. 😉👍

[@pcondes]

Is it possible to let the AP hold an altitud while manually controlling the roll? So basically turning while the AP keeps the same altitude?

[@AuthorNathanJohnson]

Love your tutorials. Looking forward to communications and finding which runway I’m supposed to land at. I’ve been making air traffic controllers very upset.

[@DanBonehill]

Great tutorial, please keep doing these. As a newcomer to flight sims these are incredibly useful!

[@barroilh]

Very understandable, clear, precise, no unnecessary gabbing. Looking forward to watching other videos from this tutor.

[@BCToby]

At 10:50 - Pitch on autopilot doesn't mean the plane is not controlling pitch, it actually means it's holding the pitch at whatever the current pitch is set to when AP is engaged. Pitch can be adjusted in AP by pressing nose up and down :). Great tutorial though!

[@Valium_x]

I love how you explain the theory AND link WHY things are done, how they relate to flight prinicples, and how to use it practically!!! Awesome content!

[@sivoltage]

Another excellent tutorial, invaluable. A complex subject made simple. Looking forward to VOR navigation!

[@hfkwong109]

This is the BEST autopilot tutorial I have seen. Thank you so much.

[@patricklastname5646]

SO helpful, I love watching, listening, and learning with you!

[@MGQ0225]

I had had no knowledge or experience of operating any plane before watching this tutorial series. Now I am still pretty much a novice, but I'm so excited that I can now take-off, cruise, and land on a Cessna 152 with relative ease... This might be the beginning of a new career (life) for me. I will come back to this comment one day when I'm a licensed pilot. Thank you.

[@TK0_23_]

I do love this guy. THE place to come to learn about flying. Thanks, you small bushy tailed woodland creature.

[@raywalsh5414]

Great tutorial, thanks. Just getting to know the G1000. One small point, on the nav tuning knob you mentioned the outer knob was to change the Megahertz and the inner knob the Kilohertz. However the inner smaller units are 1/100 Megahertz. A Kilohertz is 1/1000 Megahertz.

[@TechandTools1]

Excellent video, this helped me out so much. I will watch every single tutorial you make, you explain everything very clearly and are extremely informative. Thank you for all the work you've done so far.

[@def3ct534]

Absolutely amazing tutorial and great series of lessons! Haven't played flight sim in a very long time and having just got back into it, this was really helpful. Thanks again, love from Australia!

[@ajpoopieschitz]

Best sim instructor on KZbin, thanks so much for your videos!

[@TheRealSillyGooseGaming]

Thank you for these tutorials like system1542 said, this is one of the best video tutorials I have seen. I have taken lessons but unfortunately I ran out of money. This refresher is so good. Thank you.

[@thecorporatepilotdad]

Save your money and try again! I had so many students run out of money while learning to fly. Save up all the money needed to get your license and fly your lessons closer together. You'll save more money since you'll spend less time reviewing.

[@MatthewKiff]

Hi Squirrel, to make the heading selector dial to increase in increments of a single degree at once, just use your mouse wheel when the cursor is placed over it.

[@markomanolios]

Best tutorials for FSMS out there! Looking forward everyday for the new episode... It would be nice if you could do an ATC tutorial. Thanks!

[@rajendra82a]

I am looking forward to ATC and navigating too.

[@atheistmetal1]

Do you realize Squirrel than you helped me sooo much!!!!! you have made it much more fun as i (kinda) know what to do. this particular video is especially good.

[@hons3543]

Your tutorial videos are among the few that I watch over and over and over, as needed. Great Job! Thank you!

[@ellonysman]

I wish FS Flight School would swing over from Xplane 11. Love the instructors and although these lessons are great, having the infamous checkout test is super cool!

[@1tdnmor]

Thank you for all the work you have done to make it easier to learn to fly. I have owned a number of Microsoft FS. The last one being X. I have never had the privilege of using someone else's knowledge to learn to fly. This is my 4th trip into auto pilot to date, and I feel it will not be my last. Slowly it is sinking in. So. thank you for your work.

[@breytac]

Very easy to understand. A lot of other "tutorials" are trying to to fit everything into a half hour video and are missing critical information. Or explaining advanced concepts before explaining the basics

[@SteaksOnSpear]

Helpful video i figured out the controls thanks to this video. Way easier than flying on your own for beginners. Literally installed the game and hour ago.

[@IMChrisThom]

Thank you so much for this series. I'm not sure why but when I tried to use AP the other day, as soon as I turned it on the plane did a nosedive. I appreciate all the information.

[@ryanmitcham5522]

I know you said you were jumping ahead a bit, but please carry on jumping ahead! Would really appreciate you covering ILS/VOR stuff next and how to do flight plans without having to quit back to the main menu. I know it would be backwards for training in the real world, but the reality is a sim it's ok to do trial and error and make mistakes, and the basics of flying we can work out, but the ILS stuff really needs a tutorial to get started (like this one). Then we can go back to the fundamentals to become more competent and do it with a bit more finesse - but at least we'll be able actually get flying at night and in bad weather while waiting for that.

[@humortumor]

I am loving these videos. I had no idea autopilot was its own little system of systems, and what power it can really bring.

[@MrCoschta]

I really love your tutorials, as a new player in flight sims, this make me to a decent pilot! Hope you can make a video on how to set up navigation routes and how to put them into the system, as well as the iceing and prevention system!

[@davidbradley6871]

Hi, really enjoyed this tutorial have tried a couple of other ones on autopilot which failed to work for me,been using F S 98 onwards, F S2020 is a massive improvement on FSX. Thankyou so much for taking the time and effort to produce these tutorials ,first class job really make a difference in getting to grips with the huge amount of content ,happy safe flying both real and simulated

[@terryfricker9642]

Thanks for all your tutorial videos, being new to MSFS they have been really helpful. They have made my time flying the Cessna 152 and 172 so much more enjoyable. Your a natural instructor, any more tutorials to come?

[@CromulentEmbiggening]

Perfect. Thanks for this video, I was trying to find a tutorial on how to use the autopilot in the Beechcraft King Air 350i and yours is the only good video. Turns out I just didn't understand the concept of autopilot in a non-airliner

[@glibsonoran]

Nice tutorial, one thing that wasn't mentioned in using the autopilot to change altitude: Notice Squirrel said you can use either FLC (Flight Level Change) or VS (Vertical Speed) to descend, but he only used FLC to climb. There's a good reason for this, climbing using VS is dangerous, especially if you set it at a low altitude where you have little room to recover from a stall. This is because VS will always try to maintain the vertical speed (e.g. 500 fpm) that you set. If the aircraft starts to slow down because say: You forgot to advance the throttle sufficiently; You encountered icing in your climb; Your engine failed; Your engine had a problem where it's producing less power; You climbed to an altitude where the air is so thin your engine can no longer produce sufficient power to maintain that rate of climb, etc. The autopilot will mindlessly try to pitch up futher and further in a futile attempt to maintain the rate of climb you set. Eventually the aircraft will pitch up so far that it willl stall and perhaps spin. (Alternately if the engine is producing marginal power to climb at the indicated rate, it will overheat and eventually seize up, because the forward speed won't be sufficient to cool the engine). So safety dictates that you only use FLC on climb. (Not a huge deal in a simulator, but if you want to follow best practices for real aircraft that's what you'd do)

[@mrsalleman1]

I love these videos. As a beginner im learning more here than in the tutorials in flightsim. Wish you´ve done more videos on auto pilot and ils. But very good tutorials.

[@billlewis1774]

Finally! Clear, concise instructions. Wish you'd do it for the Cirrus, but even though it has a different layout and button labels, I think we can convert them. Thank you!

[@LeeMc007]

Legend ! Your way of explaining things is superb , thanks a lot for the help , really loving these tutorials , so much easier to follow than ANY others I've seen.

[@brichall]

Great video. Much more concise than some others. Learning to use the autopilot and GPS are key skills. Now, I have to learn how to change the dial and button settings, find my way around the cockpit. I have a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro joystick that also needs some getting used to.

[@Marc-ps9dn]

If you click to the left or right of the heading bug it does large increments but if you use the hand in the middle of knob it's one continuous motion in small increments from my understanding and other vids I have seen. Least that's how I understand it atm. Good tutorial, solves my issue with using ALT hold right after take off and having the plane pitch down right away and having to reset the alt. Thanks!!

[@wighty5860]

Another timely video. My AP was a bit off of my GPS line even though I was set to GPS mode. Forgot the NAV button. Honestly, MS needs to rip out the flight school part of the game and replace it with these tutorials.

[@JoeBob79569]

I've just begun to mess around with MFS for the last few days, with a mouse and keyboard, and I've been in this plane with the screens once or twice, and my brain just completely baulked at all these screens and dials, I didn't even want to consider thinking about what they were for. But, even just being told what the buttons and dials do, without knowing exactly how to use them, is extremely helpful, it means that my brain now accepts that they are really there, and that they serve a purpose. Instead of my subconscious just flat-out ignoring them. It was a similar story in the beginning with the clocks and gauges. I'd be looking at them and my brain would refuse to take in the information on them, even on things like the compass and the "clock" clock, until I pretty much forced myself to look at them and deliberately tell my brain to accept them, things like that the airspeed indicator was my speed, and Alt was altitude, etc.

[@aikidoshi007]

Thanks Squirrel, that cleared up a lot of things, where it seemed as though the plane was ignoring me or had a mind of its own. Brilliant!

[@BassFace5000]

Thanks for pushing this out for all of us new to FS2020. Was exactly the amount of information I was curious about. Looking forward to more!

[@jasonmeade6947]

Wow, I've been looking for a tutorial that runs like this! I can't wait to watch your other videos. So clear and understandable with practical use cases for why we'd use one button/mode over another. Thanks so much for your time and expertise! This has been immensely helpful.

[@rdwilander]

total newbie to MSFS and your tutorials are spot on Thx

[@Ochenter]

Lovely video. Back in 1998, had to learn everything surrounding this matter on my own. ENjoyed FS' 98 very much. I was 19 y.o.

[@yomammy13]

I've got to say I've learned so much watching your videos about basic flying rules. Can't afford to spend to run ms flight sim so have to wait for the Xbox version

[@Jesse-sy9wh]

Itll be good to see if xbox and thrustmaster partner up to make msfs peripherals. I would assume both companies would lead towards a budget friendly console/pc variant of hotas' etc.

[@OLC62]

Spent the last three days in flight sim trying to get my head around this. Your videos are great helpers. I have a little under 40 hours of flight time needed to get my rank upgraded in my profile, and I’ll be spending them in this plane to figure out just the basics of GPS hahaha.

[@simtcr]

Thank you for the auto pilot lessons, really helped to understand garmin nav systems. This made bush trips easy to do.

[@johngisbourne7197]

Subscribed, my little one will love it for goodnight. So easy and gentle explained. Thx

[@jay6817]

Wow, you've baby spoon fed it to me, so finally I felt confident enough to absorb the knowledge in. I've been procrastinating on that for AGES. Thank you soo much.

[@darrenstammers5321]

Hey Squirrel, I've been watching your videos leading up to the release of this sim and have very much enjoyed the topics, I'm an FSX F18 and now DCS A10a world flyer, now trying to enjoy the world of MSFS before my computer falls off the table, thank you for taking the time to do these tutorials, excellent, clear and to the point, subscribed :-)

[@jonathanyoung6397]

Just brilliant, thank you so much. There are a lot of FS KZbinrs out there, many of them quite good, but you’re the best. Fantastically clear instruvtion, thank you for walking us through all of this, it’s making it possible for me t really get the most out of this great sim

[@zoldrin]

Hi Mr Squirrel, great tutorial series! It'd be awesome if you could do an episode on ILS landings to build on the AP episode.

[@johnpiper82]

Ot my first ILS approach today and nailed it, Thanks for filling in the missing pieces that I needed! Huge day in my life!

[@MrFreakRite]

Omg this cleared up a dozen questions that other less well made videos didn't not clearly answer for me. Especially how FLC works. Noticed your name in discord, hope to see you on the virtual airways sometime!

[@RedDevilRazz]

Brilliant Tutorial...so many other baffle you with complicated jargon but dont explain it...not this one Thank you so much I can now take off and land using auto pilot...Thank you for the turorials. Keep up the great work

[@FransOnline]

More AP en ILS approach tutorials are more than welcome. I still struggle with this, despite of your two episodes now. Keep on your great work for fsm2020!

[@joemendell9264]

A tremendous series of tutorials and now I have done them all. I feel I have the basic knowledge regarding propeller aircraft. Are you planning, or have you done, any tutorials on flying jets? I feel this is my next challenge and I know I am going to need guidance. Love you videos.

[@Tordan69]

Great tutorial as always! My only nitpick would be what happens at the start when you press FD. Doing this engages the Flight Director in LVL (LeVeL, no wing bank) lateral mode and PIT (PITch, as Marcel wrote earlier) vertical mode while NOT engaging the AP. The Flight Director indicates the attitude the pilot should fly to maintain straight flight at the current pitch angle. Then, pressing HDG changes the lateral mode to HDG as Squirrel says. Again, indicating what attitude the pilot should fly to achieve the commanded heading. Finally, when and if you press the AP button the autopilot will follow the lateral and pitch commands instead of the pilot. Finally, on a sidenote. I see people complaining about the MSFS2020 AP. One thing to do to help it is to make sure you´re stable and trimmed before pressing FD/AP. This minimizes the risk of a jarring change over from pilot control to AP control.

[@dominiquez5643]

The best FS2020 training i KZbin !! Thank you sir !! Greetings from Texas USA !

[@NevrNewd]

Thanks a ton for this. Between you and P Gatcomb, I feel like I’ve gotten enough information to really enjoy this game.

[@PGodin54]

Well, after some 20 years of no flying your tutorials have brought me back to at least fly this good simulator. Excellent tools such as Skyvector that I saw you using for flight planning. Thanks and keep up these excellent tutorials

[@Sina_Z]

This series has helped me to have a safe, pleasant flight. To the point, clear, and concise. Thanks a lot!

[@TZA1980]

Thanks Squirrel. I think I am an experienced simmer and these videos are great to watch! Very very neat lessons which I can recommend to everyone starting with MSFS.