X-Plane 11 - Cessna 172 Autopilot

Learn how to use the Cessna 172 Autopilot.

[@elloot8478]

Man I know this vid is 7 years old but you're so clear and concise, thank you!

[@ferodin]

Great explanation again, thanks Jason. I am learning how to use X-Plane 11 by your videos. Keep up the great work.

[@MrPlayK]

Great job Jason, best & simplest ILS approach explanation for x-plane ever!

[@OscarMikeF150]

Excellent training. Just learning to fly. This was so helpful and you are an EXCELLENT trainer.

[@NGC008]

Excellent, as usual. I’m trying to master instrument flying in X-Plane so keep em coming please.

[@larissasousa5052]

A great video lesson, Jason. I am learning a lot from your videos. Congratulations for the objective, clear instructions. A+

[@louisgoeltzenleuchter9818]

Just started using X-plane 11, your video helped a lot on some question I had . Even after studying the manual .

[@MrEliterose]

Your tutorials are great Jason, thanks a lot!

[@TheBadbrad9]

Thank you Jason, learned a lot from this video, great job, now on to more of your video's, lot to learn yet!

[@jankin880]

Just great ...you combine the NAV features tutorial with the NAV ingredients that X plane 11 offers....very helpfull

[@paindoc25]

Nicely done. Very clear explanations and commentary. Looking forward to future videos.

[@billr8667]

Thanks for the video. Just getting back in the air after 17 years off and I'm going to use Xplane11 to refamiliarize with the aircraft/navigation, etc.

[@ElbertPoling]

Me, too. I'm only at the step to get the X-Plane acquired and set up with controls. Meanwhile I'm flying with the mouse pad and it is a major pain. But, learning all of this equipment and the models/features that I would hope to be in an aircraft that I purchase and of course to prep for an all new IFR rating. How is your venture going?

[@philshifley4731]

Great Vid!!! I love the autopilot work. Thanks. But I think the standard procedure for a stabilized approach in a typical 172 is to reduce power to around 1800 rpm. Slow to white arc. 10% flaps. Trim for 70 knots. Then more flaps and trim to 65 knots. Once you have stabilized approach, small adjustments in power will control rate of decent.

[@JasonVriends]

Thanks. I will try to use those tips for my next landing.

[@preuomo]

I'm new to this, but I want to go for realistic procedures and flights... what resource would you use to find out specific information (i.e. RPM, speeds) for a specific aircraft? Does X-Plane come with this documentation? Thanks in advance!

[@unitedcomputers]

Great ! I am a complete newbie at simulators,(although I have lost count of the number of real-world flights over the years) but jumped in the deep end and purchased xP 11. You have a new subscriber...I now have to kill a few hours looking at your other videos.

[@likeke9]

One of the best explanations on KZbin. Thanks a lot!

[@harlequin991]

Great vid I will try this flight later . I'm new to xplane and your vids are fantastic. And clearly spoken .

[@luxthill]

I think that your flaps normally broke away at 115kts. You have to stay within the white arc wich is the flaps operatin speed. So, first set the speed in the white arc, then lower the flaps.

[@thicc800ty]

Flaps 10 can be deployed under 100 kts btw

[@davidcloudninerorg6635]

@@thicc800ty No offense...but both you guys are wrong... go to, Section 2 Limitations, Cessna POH, page 2-1... 110 KIAS flaps 10. I extend 10 flaps when I do standard rate procedure turns etc. Gives one a little extra stall speed comfort zone.

[@dougcronkhite2113]

VFE (Maximum Flap Extension Speed) is 110 KIAS for 10 degrees of flaps only. More than 10 degrees of flaps requires no more than 85 KIAS

[@ruthlessadmin]

lol noobs landing with flaps. Haven't you watched Airforceproud95? Proper landing procedure is firewall it into the runway. Failing that, the next best option is to stall half way down the runway from 100ft.

[@enriquebriceno]

Thank you for this video. It is one of the best I have seen till know.

[@jamiepastman5594]

thank you Jason -- I'm new to flying and this is the clearest, best video I've found on youtube. Great work!

[@webstermr]

Hey love your videos. They have given me the head start that I needed to really get into X-Plane 11 in a big way. I have, however, run into an odd issue that you might be able to shed some light on. When I land using the method demonstrated here, the autopilot consistently brings me in to the right of the runway. I appear to be dead on with the glide slope and everything works perfectly but without exception, I have to take manual control and steer back to the left in order to hit the runway. I tried it five times today since watching your video - even replicating your scenario and everything went just as it did in the video except that I was heading for the grass to the immediate right of the runway. Same thing when did it on 33R at Pearson.

[@christophermichaelson9050]

Synch your directional gyro to your compass. Also, you need to set your OBS to the runway heading. Note that this video is a year or more old and does not reflect updates to X-Plane (which now mimics the real-world AP).

[@TheBadbrad9]

Seems like everytime I view your videos I learn something new, thanks

[@Bazzawombat]

Excellent basic description of A/P usage and interaction.

[@christophermichaelson9050]

Note that this AP behavior does not mimic real-world, and that updates to the A/P were made with X-Plane 11.25 that now reflect real-world.

[@TheBigWEEE]

thank you for showing us this, ive been looking for a tutorial for ages!!

[@mfratto]

Nice video. Thanks for the walk through. Very thorough.

[@philt8322]

Very Useful video, well explained and easy to follow

[@v1deonasty68]

Very clear and helpful tutorial, I'm a total beginner trying to learn and this has helped me get started, thx a lot you've earned a sub. I'll be checking out your other videos too.

[@raowe5368]

welldone,the best tutriol I've seen on YT,thanks.玩X-PLANE11的大家努力。

[@ayrib]

Great and very well explained video. I learned a lot from this. Thanks.

[@masoodbm]

Very informative video regarding use of navigation. Thank you

[@samr6148]

Very helpful tutorial/overview. Thanks!

[@Beery1962]

What I do is use VS to get to the target altitude, then I zero it as it gets to the desired height. Then I switch to ALT. Then there's no problem with the VS dial setting throwing your altitude off if you have to switch back to it. More importantly, when you're using ALT, any change in the altimeter settings will not throw off your altitude. If you leave it on VS, a big change in the altimeter setting will have you at the wrong altitude and the ATC is liable to get on your case.

[@jeremyburbage5094]

That was a very clear and helpful tutorial form so thanks you.

[@lpappas474]

Jason, nice job on the instruction. I would like to provide a memory aid pilots use in aircraft as well as simulators. Aviate, navigate and communicate, Aviate, your first responsibility is to fly the aircraft, stay within the flight limitations of the aircraft. Navigate, fly the heading, altitude and airspeed, Communicate is last on the list. The overhead view on the chart shows the localizer, a part of the ILS system, and the normal approach speed for an instrument approach in a Cessna 172 would be 70K. Of course if you have a 757 behind you, approach control will ask you to be pick up your speed if possible. More than once I flew ILS approaches above normal cruise A/S. A good setting for cruise power in level flight on a standard day (29.92 hg and 15 C) is around 2500 RPM. While discussing the autopilot and leveling off at 2500 ft. you hit redline on the tach. Your flaps would not have broken away because your A/S was above 115K, there is a huge safety factor that goes into the design of these aircraft but it brings me back to Aviate, Navigate and then communicate.. Hope this helps you out on any future videos, keep up the good work on explaining things to new sim pilots.

[@randymillard6422]

Thanks - I learned a lot from your video. Keep up the great work.

[@burrrrrman]

Thank you very much for your helpful video! I found it very useful!

[@ery9077]

Love your shared video very much. I'm learning much more

[@cox315]

Finally an explanation! Thanks great info

[@badgerfishinski6857]

You are correct about the dangers of using Vertical Speed for autopilot ascents. I use FLC for ascents, and Vertical Speed for descents only. This helps mitigate the risk of stalling on an ascent. When you get distracted (and you will someday), the vertical speed autopilot on the ascent will put you into a stall. Don't do it if you want to follow best practices, and not die.

[@drewlawrence8259]

Extremely helpful video, thank you

[@Theopolis]

I'm glad that you already know your stuff before making instruction videos. I've wasted countless hours watching people fumble through the menus while they learn how to use the sim. Good job, I'll keep watching yours. BTW, I have FSC9 and am wondering if there is a way to convert their PLN files to FMS.

[@Unencoded]

THIS! So many people learn while making a tutorial.... which is just crazy

[@tonymerlot9305]

I concur...one day I'll have xp11 and will be looking for clear and concise flying lessons...that will be you!☺

[@davidcloudninerorg6635]

. Tony Merlot Sadly, you will need a pretty beefy computer..Need NVidia GTX 1080 to even begin to get a decent frame rate. XP 11 reflections are a real drain and you can't turn them off. I still use XP 10.5... works fine for Instrument flying... etc.

[@pfv3462]

thanks for these lessons, I can use them well in XPlane 12 👍😋

[@raulanthony3958]

great video i am new to plane and would like to know how to start my flight from the same position each flight for example how do i rapidly reload my position like say a 3 mile final to the same airport to practice approach and landing. thanks much

[@kenoath007]

Excellent, exactly what I was looking for... liked and subbed.

[@Sharps777]

Great Video , Great Explanation! Thanks

[@mds3697]

I never understood this, it's actually really easy. Thanks

[@slapshot2k]

I'm brand new to flight Sims and X Plane 11, so your instructional videos have really helped take the frustration out of the steep learning curve. What monitor size and resolution do you use?

[@caiazzo123]

Fantastic really informative and slow and easy to understand can’t thank you enough. Some shortcut assignment buttons would be good for the stick rgds M

[@DoselH]

I already knew sort of how to use it but this helped a bit thanks!

[@nicholaspeak3335]

This auto pilot approach to Toronto. Was it all the way to wheels down or did you like so many others go manual at the end? I have to say your tutorials are by far the best.

[@mariomatos8800]

Very Great, Jason. Thank you.

[@PilotPhotog]

This was very helpful thank you!

[@torbenbrams2153]

Love your video - a great way to learn about the X-plane autopilot. However, I think you might have lost your flaps at around 11:30 - IRL we have to lower the speed until the white arc before extending flaps. Also, the engine might not enjoy running at full RPM the entire time ;-)

[@patiarch38]

Very well explained, thanks!

[@daadood100]

very nice video and explanation thank you

[@davidcloudninerorg6635]

Thanks for the video Jason. The AP in the Airfoil Labs 172sp is far superior and more realistic B/K KAP 140. The default AP in X-plane 172 has a annoying searching wobble at times, and as you mentioned the "alt" function is goofy. For $35 it is well worth it. The AFL 172sp only has 430, but in the real world you will not train in a 172sp with both 530 and 430, or Garmin 1000 glass, it would cost too much. The 430 and 530 work almost identical anyways. BTW I don't work for AFL. Would be nice to see your videos with AFL 172sp, Also....nice to see XP 11 with LPV approach...finally... As a "thank You" for your videos you can download the POH for Cessna 172sp from my site for free. It has an "linked" TOC PDF etc. FYI and others the FE speed limitations are 110 KIAS with 10degree of flaps. Check out POH Section 2 Limitations, page 2-4. One way to end the debate about any procedure is the POH. I noticed quite a few are wrong about FE flaps 10 in this comment section. Go to free www.cloudniner.org Also I have linked TOC on all the free FAA manuals and they are free to download on my site... Thanks Again

[@JohnHuthmaker]

Glad I googled this. I didnt know the steam gauge 172 even had an autopilot. I've put about 50 hours in to that plane on the sim and did it all by hand. Didnt even see the box below the transponder.

[@raisin39]

Nice landing enjoyed your video

[@ericc7936]

great clear video .. thanks so much

[@donaldcapitali9091]

Thank you Jason, very, very informative. Is there a way to set the altitude via the dial on the gage, let’s say 3000 feet ? Can that be dialed in having the plane climb to that preset altitude, then autopilot it to hold that height ?

[@747-pilot]

Trim is the poor man's autopilot 😃 . The C152 I trained on, to get my PPL was extremely bare-bones. Most of the 172s at my flight school don't have an AP either.

[@bobidderis3880]

This is really helpful. Thanks capt

[@mirageycq]

Thanks, nice vid. i learned a lot.

[@yair1956]

Great Vid. tnx for bringing it to us

[@FlightSim2703]

This was awesome video, please make us another video for 11.30 update which is changed for autopilot . Thanks and regards

[@boyanghan2969]

Good vid!! I saw you've turned the AP off at the final approach, but when to turn that off and why? Why can't we land the plane just using AP but no manual controls?

[@alrosenzweig1254]

very straight fwd.....really good

[@bradymatlock]

Thanks dude, that was a ton of help! :)

[@Tobwilk]

When setting up your navigation and you put in the destination airport, Will that line you up directly with the airport OR will it line you up with a landing ILS path? I'm guessing it will not line you up? In which case, what is the normal practice to use the navigation so that when setting a destination, you enter in on a route that's already lined up with an ILS on your desired runway? Thanks for the great videos!

[@gamesforu6619]

awesome video for autopilot

[@RBEmerson]

Helpful for figuring out the A/P's "switch-ology". It would have helped to mention "decision height" and when you disconnected from the A/P (found it sliding back and forth in the video);

[@FlightSim2703]

Awesome video. Does anyone knows whenever we switch the view from 3D Cockpit to Hood view, Hood and Propeller should be shown?

[@Diga6ft]

Hi, I have XPlane 11 and did the same procedure as you did and the 172 landed on the highway. When I put the 172 , 10Km from the runway it is pointing to around 60 deg radial. Not like your plane did pointing towards 80 deg radial. What is wrong with my system.

[@sgtsapper4383]

Great video!

[@davedraxler3110]

Great video but .... when I tried and ILS landing at Toronto City Ctr (ie in video), I wrote down and followed your steps, flew into the ILS triangle and did not acquire the VLoc signal thus the plane did not follow the signal down to a landing. What am I missing? (I can post the steps I followed if needed)

[@Airship413]

Nice job,Jason Vriends

[@gulamahmedbakawala725]

Just help me how I can have this plane in my X-Plane 11 stock. I don't seem to find this Steam dial auto version 172. Gulam.

[@owainwilliams1521]

very helpful - thank you

[@ianrobertcope]

great explanation

[@fata__morgana]

Awesome tutorial!

[@Karlsmarten]

Can you explain, what does the CDI instrument needle indicate, when GPS is selected on the CDI? I cant seem to make any sense of that part.

[@ronaldfranck6960]

How do you disengage the autopilot when you cancel IFR? OK, I just found the answer I was looking for. The disengage button is the red button on the yoke. I have to give these tutorials a 9 out of 10 because small details like this are omitted.

[@Danny-fc2je]

The issue I have is that the ATC doesnt always request me to land on a runway with an ILS Approach (When using ATC with a flight plan).... what do we do in this scenario? Im guessing we use the FMC to select the runway and use the NAV... I tried this yesterday and it did not work out so well... Let me know how to go about this please.

[@jeffhodge2276]

Great vid!! I've been noticing the same thing when landing at Billy Bishop (City Center)......where the heck is our beautiful CN Tower??? Don't tell me it's a scenery plug-in that we have to purchase :/

[@XCross64]

how do you get that view of you cockpit dashboard, I can never get the whole thing in view

[@thicc800ty]

app mode and nav mode autopilot doesnt work for me only the hdg alt and vsi mode that work which is quiet frustating if you are going to do some vor app

[@kengunn31]

Hi Jason, I watched this video to try to find how to switch the C172 autopilot ON - because there's no 'AP' button on my Xplane 172. It seems it's always on, but I learned stuff from your video anyway. Also, I noticed you deployed flaps above the white arc as Luxthill pointed out in a stepwise fashion.

[@bennyg11757]

You turn it off by clicking the red button on the yoke

[@FlightSim2703]

Hi dear, I'm using triple monitors on my homemade Cockpit, how can we turn off the digital cockpit on our screen, and replace it with Hud and prop. There is an option on pull down menus but it shows only digital airspeed and altitude on front panel but no Hud and prop. Thanks

[@allanharrison9638]

you make it look so simple i,mgoing to keep this link for future tuitions

[@RossFromTheGarde]

Coming from MSFS, how do you navigate around your views inside the cockpit?

[@sjefrie]

Great tutorial thanks

[@Nate_Skains]

Nice video, thanks!

[@Dxcarroll]

Great job

[@trolololinger2870]

Nice job! Thanks.

[@johnythecookedsteak4819]

I need help about autpilot. On cezzna it works but on commercial airliners autopilot wil raise the plane up and down for no reason while it is simple to just keep it in a certain position when i turn on altitude hold. It is so stupid and i cannot fly at all with it.

[@kamho3089]

i like your guide thx.

[@milserpentine]

How do you get the magenta line all I get is a white line the autopilot can't follow

[@williampayne2554]

Question for you, I set up the GPS to fly from 36U- small airport in Utah to KSLC, when I take off, I set the Rate of Ascent to 500FPM, and select autopilot, I also select GPS on the glare shield however after about 10 seconds the AP keeps disengaging any idea what I'm doing wrong?

[@fredfahrenbruch4360]

I'm new to Flight Sim & XPlane and try this a couple of times a day but can never seem to get my plane to either line up with the slope or it descends under the slope or heads off into a totally different direction. ??? Not sure why. I've reviewed these instructions over & over. I'll keep trying !!

[@jasonthate4592]

Great explanation! I do have a question though... I tuned the nav 1 radio to the VOR frequency, set to NAV then once in the air set the autopilot to NAV. I just kept going in the same direction and the autopilot did not correct the course to the VOR that was set. Then turned off the NAV on the autopilot and flew a circle to see if the needle would center once I was pointed in the right direction and they did not move. Is there one more step after entering in the VOR freq to set it in the system?

[@REPORODGE]

you still have to correct the loc via input left and right