Fritzthepilot

Yep, We have to use the A/P in RVSM . I had an F/O who like to hand fly a lot. Fed showed up to ride in jump seat during F/O's leg. I told F/O to kick on A/P prior to 290. He did, and the bloody fed later made a comment that if we had not used the A/P, he would have written us up.

Phantom Flyer

There are a lot of smart pilots on this forum and so I'll ask for the FAR reference that states that the autopilot must be engaged at all times in RVSM airspace.

Thanks and G'Day Mates

BTW, if the tire tracks look familiar, we've been down this road a few months ago on APF. Exact same thread.

cactusmike

As long as you have the a/p on when you are level in RVSM airspace there should not be any issue with handflying it up to cruise. Your RVSM checks (I know you do 'em and write them down on the flightplan, right?) are done in level flight. Clearance to climb to and maintain an altitude gives you all that airspace up to that altitude.

I like to handfly. The 757 flys real nice and I've even done a few PHX to SAN and PHX to LAS (both always at FL 280) legs without using the a/p at all. F/Os get a kick out of it. I am back on the Airbus right now and I've done one LAS to LAX leg at 260 without the a/p, it was not nearly as much fun. I always handfly IFR approaches unless it is CAT 2 or a non precision (managed NAV) to minimums. Company wants us to use automation as much as we can but I see too many weak pilots that just click it on at 200' and off at 500'. They wonder why they struggle in the sim.

Groundhog

No..........

Hog

jsled

If it's in your company FOM, then the Fed can bust your balls on it. Kinda like the requirement to do a crewmember wing check after deicing if ANY precip has fallen since deicing - even if the holdover time has NOT been exceeded. Not a FAR, but required at UAL because it is in the FOM -and sometimes quite silly I might add.

4th Level

Causing both pilots to be inside fixated on the instruments the entire time.

You're free to do it however you want but consider for a second that just because you can doesn't mean you should.

Rightseat Ballast

POI's can have a lot of influence on this. For example, at my lowly regional conglomerate, we have quite a difference in autopilot use between certificates. The Shuttle America GOM essentially requires you to use the highest level of automation available at all times, while the Republic FOM says that we should use a variety of automation to maintain proficiency in the various levels. Same airplane, same overall company, but one certificate encourages hand flying, while the other pretty much prohibits it. The difference is in the feds assigned to each certificate. One believes in the airplane, the other believes in the pilots.

ce650

Not a boeing or buss but in the straight winged citations I have the autopilot on before the gear hits the uplocks and all the way till just before touchdown. Those citations are highly unstable and always better to use the automation.

Jetjok

Initially our company trained our MD-11 and A-300 guys to use as much automation as possible. Guys were autoflighting it from minimum autoflight engagement altitude and not kicking it off until inside the OM. However, over time (and after a few mishaps) the philosophy has changed, and in fact, from what I understand, it's done a full about-face. Now guys are hand flying it as much as possible. Obviously not in cruise, and hopefully not in real busy T/O environments, such as JFK, EWR, ORD, ATL, BOS, etc.

JJ

SWAcapt

This from my company's FAA approved FOM:

Operating in RVSM Airspace
Ensure the following when operating in RVSM airspace:
• Maintain assigned flight level.
• Do not overshoot or undershoot assigned altitudes by more than 150 feet
during transitions.
• Use an autopilot to control altitude except as required by turbulence or other
operational necessity.
• Cross-check primary and standby altimeters every hour.
• Notify ATC if only one primary altimeter remains operational (cross-check
with the standby altimeter).
• Notify ATC (“Unable RVSM due equipment”) if both primary altimeters are
lost, if the autopilot altitude control is lost, or if the altitude alerter is not
operational.