Thanks guys. Do modern autopilots align well with airways?
On a modern GPS equipped type if you're actually trying to "follow" an airway using the autopilot you are quite probably within 50 metres or so of the airway centreline.....
Because if I understand, following a track or heading, doesn't necessarily lign up with a designated route.
That's a different issue/different mode of the autopilot....If your clearance (from ATC) is to fly a heading (e.g. for weather/traffic avoidance) or fly a track direct to a point (e.g. a downroute waypoint) then you do exactly that and the airway isn't relevant.
In reality over many parts of the world we rarely follow the published/flight planned airways for any great length of time. Out of the likes of London you'll be climbing out on ATC headings initially ( traffic avoidance in the climb), then probably told to go "direct" to a waypoint on the border between say Irish or Scottish Airspace, get handed over to the next controller, who in turn will quite probably give a "direct to" somewhere on the far side of his/her area, and so on...