IR re-validate - use of autopilot
 

Is it permitted to use the autopilot during the IR re-validate?

flyme

As far as I remember, it's not prohibited, but using it properly to examiner's satisfaction will not make your life easier, just the opposite.

Used the autopilot briefly on a revalidation and my examiner queried this and said "Well, whilst you have engaged it - let's see a stall recovery on it"

That examiner was a moron :rolleyes: All available technology on the airplane should be used appropriately, Proper use of an autopilot significantly increases the safety of single pilot IFR flight.

Assuming it's a basic alt hold function... Power idle, wait for the stall then disconnect and recover? Hardly making your life harder is it?

Easily managed and a useful exercise. The surprise was the unusual nature of the suggestion.

Did mine this week and examiner was happy I use it in the cruise. Had to go to hand flying before I entered the hold and for both approaches obviously. Might be worth stating in the departure brief 'I will utilise the autopilot in the cruise' just so there's no surprises.

For the instrument rating flight test in Canada, the autopilot comes on after takeoff and flies the SID, the STAR, the approach, the missed approach, the hold, and then the final approach is usually done without the autopilot.

Assuming your autopilot will do all that. Mine does so that's what we do.

My renewals over the last few years have all been - "Use the autopilot as you normally would and I will tell you as and when i wish you to disengaged it"

I reality this usually means cruise and setup on AP then approach, go around and unusual position recovery without AP. (Although Unusual Position recovery may involve disengaging the AP if it was engaged when the upset was simulated - or indeed if the examiner used the AP to generate the upset).

Fortunately the CAA have moved on from the dark days of "You can't use it at all".

The UK sets out the limitations of autopilot use during revalidation/renewal IRTs in Standards Document 14. It can be used in any mode throughout the flight except:
1. For the 3D approach (although the flight director may be used)
2. During the airwork
3. Any time when asymmetric, if the autopilot is not cleared for use in asymmetric flight.

The rules for EASA-land are less clear but there are some hints in FCL Appendix 6 and Appendix 9 as well as the new Flight Examiners' Manual.
1. Use of automatics should be discussed as part of the initial IR briefing.
2. For revalidation/renewal it says '3D operations to DA (autopilot may be used to GS/GP intercept)' and it also requires that use of the autopilot (if fitted) is tested, and states that this may be done in Section 3 (the IR section).

No idea of rules in USA or Canada.

From the Transport Canada Instrument Rating Flight test guide (TP9939)

The Instrument Proficiency Check requires the examiner set up the aircraft in an unusual attitude and then when commanded, the candidate must recover using the flight instruments. The last one I did was in an airplane with the new Garmin G600 autopilot. It has a "level" button which when pressed will engage the autopilot, if it is not on, and then automatically return the airplane to straight and level, so that is what the candidate did when I told him to recover, which kind of took the fun out of the exercise from my POV...

For my initial and subsequent proficiency checks I used the AP during SID, cruise, holds non-precision approach and when going missed, only flew manually for the airwork and 3D-approaches. The only exemption was when I had to use an old PA28 with an AP I did not trust. I preferred handflying on that one.

Of note in the world of helis, we gone to something similar for initial IR (since new CAA FEM in April). Manual only for initial climb, 3D approach and general handling sections. For renewal and reval helis can use AP for everything except the 3D.