What are the primary purposes of Autopilot and Flight Director modes on the 737?

Prepare for the Delta 737 PA-LOD Exam with flashcards and multiple choice questions. Each question includes hints and explanations, ensuring you're ready for exam day!

Multiple Choice

What are the primary purposes of Autopilot and Flight Director modes on the 737?

The main idea here is how Autopilot and Flight Director work together to manage the airplane’s flight path and reduce pilot workload. The Flight Director provides visual guidance cues—think of it as a set of commanded pitch and bank targets shown on the primary flight display. It doesn’t move the aircraft by itself; it tells you what attitude to fly to follow a programmed path or intercept an approach. The Autopilot, when engaged, actually moves the airplane to follow those cues and to execute the chosen modes, such as maintaining a route, holding altitude, turning to a heading, or following a flight plan, often in coordination with autothrottle to manage speed. Both need ongoing monitoring. You’re always confirming that the correct modes are active, that the aircraft is following the intended path, and that you’re prepared to take over if navigation signals degrade or a different action is required. Why the other statements don’t fit: autopilot doesn’t control engine power directly—thrust is managed by the thrust levers (and autothrottle in some configurations) rather than the autopilot setting the engines. the Flight Director doesn’t fly the airplane by itself; it provides guidance cues for either you to fly manually or the autopilot to follow. And these systems are not optional or unrelated—they’re designed to work together to manage the flight path.

The main idea here is how Autopilot and Flight Director work together to manage the airplane’s flight path and reduce pilot workload. The Flight Director provides visual guidance cues—think of it as a set of commanded pitch and bank targets shown on the primary flight display. It doesn’t move the aircraft by itself; it tells you what attitude to fly to follow a programmed path or intercept an approach. The Autopilot, when engaged, actually moves the airplane to follow those cues and to execute the chosen modes, such as maintaining a route, holding altitude, turning to a heading, or following a flight plan, often in coordination with autothrottle to manage speed.

Both need ongoing monitoring. You’re always confirming that the correct modes are active, that the aircraft is following the intended path, and that you’re prepared to take over if navigation signals degrade or a different action is required.

Why the other statements don’t fit: autopilot doesn’t control engine power directly—thrust is managed by the thrust levers (and autothrottle in some configurations) rather than the autopilot setting the engines. the Flight Director doesn’t fly the airplane by itself; it provides guidance cues for either you to fly manually or the autopilot to follow. And these systems are not optional or unrelated—they’re designed to work together to manage the flight path.

More practice questions