What is the minimum altitude at which autopilot may be engaged?

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 is the minimum altitude at which autopilot may be engaged?

Autopilot engagement on takeoff has a safety margin built in to ensure the crew can verify everything is set before the aircraft’s flight path is controlled automatically. The minimum altitude to engage the autopilot is 400 feet above ground level. Why this matters: below 400 feet AGL, there’s less time to monitor configuration, respond to abnormalities, or manually take over if needed during the critical transition from liftoff to a stabilized climb. At 400 feet, the airplane is in a stable climb with reliable attitude and altitude information, so the crew can safely hand over control if necessary and let the autopilot manage the flight path from that point onward. The other altitudes are either too low to protect during that transition or not the standard minimum used in typical procedures.

Autopilot engagement on takeoff has a safety margin built in to ensure the crew can verify everything is set before the aircraft’s flight path is controlled automatically. The minimum altitude to engage the autopilot is 400 feet above ground level.

Why this matters: below 400 feet AGL, there’s less time to monitor configuration, respond to abnormalities, or manually take over if needed during the critical transition from liftoff to a stabilized climb. At 400 feet, the airplane is in a stable climb with reliable attitude and altitude information, so the crew can safely hand over control if necessary and let the autopilot manage the flight path from that point onward. The other altitudes are either too low to protect during that transition or not the standard minimum used in typical procedures.

More practice questions