How To Use The Autopilot in Microsoft Flight Simulator

This video focuses on learning the basics of using the autopilot in Microsoft Flight Simulator.
0:00 Intro
0:46 Why Use The Autopilot
1:57 Autopilot & Flight Director Familiarization
7:07 Going Vertical with ALT, FLC & VS
11:49 Navigating with HDG & NAV

[@stevemiller6053]

What I really like about these videos is that you explain things clearly and slowly instead of gabbling at a dozen words a second while the mouse cursor dances all over the screen like a dervish on crack.

[@williambomball5965]

Amen! So helpful to have clear, concise directions and not be distracted by the frenetic cursor movements common in so many of these videos.

[@Sanctimonious007]

"dervish on crack"😂😂😂 turk will be seething at this. lol

[@pertevdural4513]

@@Sanctimonious007 YES, l saw this!

[@davybondohome8460]

I totally agree awesome video Thx and turn the auto pilot on first when your level before any thing else

[@zacky5315]

Agree. Always a nice and clear explanation.

[@seino003]

Thank you so much for this. I had myself from completely confused to flying around with the auto-pilot like it was nothing after this video.

[@saleasylum]

I know a lot about the G1000, but I didn't know that just the AP button will hold your pitch and roll. Very cool!

[@casq882]

One very interesting point that I have is that after seeing many videos similar to yours, is a totally different and better experience to see the trainer talking at the same time with the instruments for some reason, it might be that the brain tells me, "hey pay attention because there is a real human in front of you and not just a voice in the video". Thank you

[@FlightSimSchool]

Yep I do want to add an instruments camera soon to help make things clearer.

[@acts238isthetruth]

You need to get in to an actual plain my dude! I feel your real calling is not teaching a sim but the real thing 😊 your the best.

[@itzpdowg3]

Brand new to Flight Sim. Playing on Series X. Finally a video that makes sense. Currently using auto pilot while I write this review. Would love to see more tutorials in depth on the Bowing 747 because I don't have a clue how to fly that. New Subscriber

[@maumor2]

I will strongly recommend you work your way up to a 747. Like real pilots do, it will take you way longer but you will transition easily

[@Pinniped219]

@@maumor2 i like to fly small aircraft anyway

[@xburk550]

So glad I found your channel. Just started playing this on Series X and you explain everything brilliantly.

[@WarriorShao]

Very clear and informative. 10/10

[@RobinMorris-FollowMeChaps]

That was beautifully clear and concise, I've learnt a so much. Thank you, I look forward to your further videos 😁

[@SPaterson65]

This is excellent info and easy to follow. Thanks for making this!

[@cloudythb]

This seemed like you were an actual live trainer teaching the lesson. Good job, keep it up!

[@sebastiancarranza2185]

An excellent video as always. Thank you

[@CarlosHernandez-wz5nr]

Excellent tutorial Captain! Many blessings

[@sergiovacca2978]

Thank you! Ive watched atleast 8-10 other videos and none of these other guys explained this as well as youu. Excellent job! Keep em coming. I didnt check if you did a video on ils landings yet but if not can you please do one and explain it like you are here. Thank you!

[@FlightSimSchool]

Yep I’m just getting started on instrument flying and ILS is on the list :)

[@littlenemo14]

Great job. I’ve been practicing with the AP but this will help me further. Thanks. Subbed.

[@sammy_2516]

Thank you so much for your time and efforts !!

[@HonestTraveller]

Just got flight sim awesome videos thank you!

[@theguyfromberlin]

Brilliant work. Thanks so much.

[@NevrNewd]

This was really helpful. Thanks.

[@hsuperbird9504]

Nicely done. Thank you Sir.

[@jonathanwhite530]

I like to use the FLC mode on climb out. With the "Nose up" or "Nose down" button I can set the airspeed to 74 knots (best rate of climb in the Cessna 172) and not worry about the throttle setting until I reach my cruising altitude. That's how you would fly a real airplane: you'd trim to your best rate of climb and take whatever rate of ascent the airplane was capable of in the current atmospheric conditions.

[@ggjjabc]

Best tutorial on the auto-pilot. Keeps it truly simple. Speed delivery and clarity is excellent unlike other KZbinrs. I subscribed. A quick question: what is the difference between the keyboard shortcuts 'z' and 'alt-z'? The first is the master auto-pilot switch and the second an on/off toggle switch.

[@FlightSimSchool]

All you should really need is the toggle button to enable/disable the AP from the keyboard. That goes for anything else with 'toggle' in front of it, it'll invert the state of whatever it currently is set to.

[@micklivi92]

Love this channel.

[@jakew9887]

Great Video. THanks

[@carlobaroncini949]

Thanks a lot; will done!

[@dave-j-k]

Another great video, thanks. On the X-Box there is no Heading Bug Sync function to map a key to though, only increase/decrease ;)

[@vscolkitt]

Im Old School! (Have never flown 152's, 172's or Piper Cherokee's with Glass Instruments so Im thinking about purchasing a couple Garmin's or Real Flights for my Sim Build! I liked your presentation but wished you had more "Close Ups" of the knobs, their locations, and even the entire panel at the very beginning to familiarize myself to the panel better! Nevertheless, I'll be coming back and reviewing your videos when my sim is built. Thanks for a very nice presentation!

[@mikewills2025]

Good tips thanks

[@tomzethof4099]

clear explanation .

[@marvin41]

Really helpful

[@jjeonde7365]

Thank you!

[@gamechanger2324]

Nice video 👍

[@AbimaelCarrasquillo]

Thanks for the video. Yesterday I did this for the first time. Only thing that I wasn't able to do properly was the approach and alignment with the runway as also finding the gate 😅

[@maumor2]

I have hundreds of hours flying all kind of airplanes in the sim I dont use any assistance at all while flying But I use the taxi ribbon 9 out of 10 times :)

[@Pindi44]

That was very informative and well presented, thank you. May I please suggest that you zoom into the screen, as at 10:06, before that it was difficult to see the screen. Is it possible to perform an entire flight, including take off and landing by AP, and if so, would you please demonstrate it? Many thanks.

[@FlightSimSchool]

Yep been trying to get better at that

[@CapitaineNautilus]

This is the best auopilot tutorial I have seen. Very practical. Everything is explained without forgetting important points. Now, the Xcub has a Garmin that is sligthly different, the G3X, and can't find all the tricks you mention in your video. In particular, there doesn't seem to be any easy way to sync the heading and altitude bugs to that of the plane. Nor can I find them how to set them to buttons on my HOTAS. Could you make a video about the G3X ?

[@FlightSimSchool]

Thanks! I'm working on a GNS530 tutorial at the moment; I've got the G3X in my to-do list too, however there aren't anywhere near as many planes with that one, so it's fairly low on my priority list, but I'll keep it in mind!

[@CapitaineNautilus]

Yet the xCub if among the favourite planes for bush flying. @@FlightSimSchool

[@FlightSimSchool]

That’s a great point, are you using the got friends free mod for it?

[@wolfe1970]

Thanks, that cleared alot of questions i had, the one thing im struggling with, is once i have the flight plan loaded then take off, if i go off course without having the AP on, when i switch AP on and press the NAV button my plane starts flying to the airport i took off from, almost like it needs to start from the beginning of the GPS route ?

[@FlightSimSchool]

That’s likely because it didn’t switch to the next waypoint in the plan. If you click the FPL button, you can scroll down to the next waypoint you want and at the the bottom of the screen there will be an activate leg button

[@magicnorm2036]

Great video! I have a question. Why, in the C172 with the G1000 Nxi, if I takeoff and engage the autopilot, the plane doesn’t hold the roll and pitch? I also need to say that no other input (HDG, ALT, FLC or VS) where configured in the autopilot.

[@FlightSimSchool]

hmmmm, I'm not sure. I haven't flown much with the Nxi. Sorry I can't be of more help!

[@elpiloto100]

Is it possible to just engage either the lateral (HDG, ROL, NAV) or the vertical (ALT, FLC, VS) portion of the AP, but not both? Sometimes I just want hand fly and navigate, but let the AP maintain a constant altitude.

[@FlightSimSchool]

Unfortunately not, when you turn the AP on it engages a lateral and a vertical mode.

[@azdrone233]

I’ve been trying to learn and use AP. If I plan a departure and arrival location should I use NAV or Heading?

[@FlightSimSchool]

It really depends on how involved you want to be with the in-flight portion of your flight. If you want the plane to just get there with no input from you, NAV is what you're looking for. If you want the plane to stay more involved you can use HDG and just adjust to whatever your next waypoint is.

[@BillSmith-rx9rm]

Is there a keyboard shortcut available for the GPS/NAV switch, or for the CDI selector button? I have searched and cannot find that these functions are available as a keyboard shortcut.

[@FlightSimSchool]

Yes there is, if you look in the controls there is something like course selector increase & decrease

[@garywiley7886]

I noticed today after taking off in the C172 I engaged the AP and shortly there after the AP letters began flashing yellow and shortly there after the AP disengaged. Not sure what happened here. Thank you!

[@siviary13]

Hi FSS! I followed your instructions, but after wanting to change the altitude, the autopilot won't react at all. Also, after trying to take some photos during active pause my yaw is stuck at -100DN and won't go up if I forcefully try to increase it. Even if it does. it'll go automatically back to -100DN

[@FlightSimSchool]

did you enable FLC? If nothing happens then you have to lower the target speed or change your power setting for it to actually change altitude.

[@natecuster9948]

Any way to stop altitude, heading and other knobs from turning blue and not accepting settings when touched with cursor?

[@FlightSimSchool]

Yes that’s the cockpit interaction system in accessibility options. You need to set it to legacy.

[@terrycouey7246]

It would be nice if you could zoom into the screens so that we can see the different modes

[@FlightSimSchool]

Yep I always forget to do it, to the point I’ve now put a post it on my desk to remind me!

[@stahlvivek]

Hello can you please make a video on how to use a flight hotas?...The one you have? all the functions and how they correspomd in the flight sim game?.Thanks

[@FlightSimSchool]

Hi there, I've added it to my list of future videos. I can't promise when it'll be available, but I'll do my best to get to it soon :)

[@stahlvivek]

@@FlightSimSchool Thanks a lot.Very informative videos inspiring me to sim now at the age of 45 after 20 years!

[@eyuphancelik2789]

Do you know how do we turn at 1 rate in Autopilot. Mine turns non standard???

[@FlightSimSchool]

I've noticed that myself, I suspect it's a bug in certain airplanes.

[@tedwaetford]

Isn't it really important to ensure the plane is trimmed out before engaging the autopilot, to avoid any violent transitions?

[@FlightSimSchool]

You want it to be mostly trimmed, yeah. Thanks for pointing that out!

[@pablojuarez4277]

When I put my plane in autopilot then NAV mode, it doesn’t follow path that was programmed, it always follows to the side, how do I fix this?

[@FlightSimSchool]

I think I know what you're talking about. It stays on course, but it's either to the left or right of the flight path on the MFD?

[@pablojuarez4277]

@@FlightSimSchool yes, is that suppose to happen or did I do something wrong?

[@rekunta]

This doesn’t work for me at all. Firstly, if I’ve my plane at positive attitude, trimmed, with wings level, with nothing set (no flight plan, VS with desired final altitude and feet per minute) and push AP, it appears to assume I want to crash at high speed into the ground and will put me into a negative attitude where I get “don’t sink” warnings. Nothing else is switched on aside AP. I don’t know if this is a bug, but it doesn’t work. Secondly, making a flight plan and then turning AP on and hitting Nav seems to work sometimes, and other times not. It was seeming to keep my course until it began to deviate, then the plane continued to fly straight. I have made waypoints, do I have to manually tell the AP to change to head to them?

[@FlightSimSchool]

For the first problem, this will sound strange but try it again but reset your joystick+keyboard bindings to the default assignments. It's possible a key binding got assigned incorrectly, which is causing the problem. Happened to me in the past. For the second problem, there are some issues with VFR flight plans and using the autopilot. I would try an IFR flight plan to see if the problem exists there too.

[@rekunta]

@@FlightSimSchool it seems that I was hitting AP a bit too close to the ground after takeoff and it trying to level out effectively plunged me into a nosedive. Once I got above 1k, it seemed to do what you said it would. As for following the course, it actually does, I was only confused as the flight plan curves and oftentimes the waypoints aren’t directly on it, but the plane goes to them, so deviates until it hits the actual waypoint, then corrects to get back onto course. I’m new to sims and getting into this is pretty much going to school. There’s a hell of a lot to learn. I love it.

[@keithpetersen9196]

Because you didn't set your altitude first and it's probably at 0ft..... You have to set it up before engaging...

[@ChilesSupportTV]

I just want to set up long flights without the darn game going to the pause menu due to input inactivity. My controller is not turning off but after like 10 minutes of auto pilot the game stops. What's the point of auto pilot then?

[@FlightSimSchool]

That sounds like a bug to me!

[@ChilesSupportTV]

@@FlightSimSchool it's not a bug. It's the Xbox's screen saver mode. As of right now you can't turn it off. You can only delay it for up to 60 minutes. After an hour of inactivity the Screensaver mode will kick in, pause your game and display the title screen.

[@npickle54]

@@ChilesSupportTV you can turn it off lol

[@wriker36]

When I try to change the ADF it only changes the outer numbers, not the middle number. I tried the outer and inner knobs but it doesn't work. How do you change the center ADF number in msfs2020?

[@FlightSimSchool]

In which plane?

[@wriker36]

@@FlightSimSchool All of them so far. Not sure if it's a bug? Also mid flight in any plane while in autopilot my plane just starts to go into a step turn and ends up in a dive. It's so weird and frustrating. Could be buggy???

[@FlightSimSchool]

That's bizarre. For the ADF, if it's in a G1000 plane then you should be able to just move through all the numbers with the inner & outer dials. For the autopilot issue, I'd say check the bindings on your controllers to see if there could a conflict. The autopilot would normally disconnect itself automatically if it ends up in a dive like that

[@wriker36]

@@FlightSimSchool No it's not the G1000, that works fine. It's any other ADF controller. For example if my ADF is set to an NDB of 259 I can change the 2 or the 9 but not the 5. I can't work out how to cycle to that middle digit? How do you do that?

[@FlightSimSchool]

It depends on the plane but I think the click point is either really small, or you need to turn the 3rd digit past 9 to bring the 2nd digit up by 1

[@joefrisbie485]

Which plane is this?

[@FlightSimSchool]

It’s the Cessna 172

[@HudsonAtchley]

Thanks

[@hoouwit1]

I wish MS would get their sht together and eliminate the AP sway.

[@TheJusticeLeague]

i hope the series x has the auto pilot

[@FlightSimSchool]

Series X will be full-featured. How you operate those controls without a mouse though, I'm looking forward to seeing.

[@happykillmore349]

Some of this is ... kind of accurate. None of the altitude buttons actually do anything.

[@FlightSimSchool]

This video was made before the avionics update to the G1000. Things have changed drastically from this. I should probably make a new video on the topic since it's changed a fair bit