Which item is NOT a listed autopilot engagement condition?

Which item is NOT a listed autopilot engagement condition?

• A. A pitch trim fault
• B. No FCC faults
• C. No unusual attitudes or rates
• D. Autopilot disconnect bar is up

Answer: (A)

Autopilot engagement relies on the flight-control system being healthy and the aircraft in a safe state to accept automatic commands. To engage, there must be no faults in the flight-control computers, and the aircraft should be in a normal attitude without unusual pitch or roll rates. The autopilot disconnect bar should be in the position that allows engagement, not indicating a disconnection. A pitch trim fault signals a problem with the trim system itself and would prevent the autopilot from engaging because relying on faulty trim data could lead to unstable or unexpected pitch changes. Because of that, a pitch trim fault is not a condition that allows engagement, so it is the item that does not fit with the listed engagement conditions.

Autopilot engagement relies on the flight-control system being healthy and the aircraft in a safe state to accept automatic commands. To engage, there must be no faults in the flight-control computers, and the aircraft should be in a normal attitude without unusual pitch or roll rates. The autopilot disconnect bar should be in the position that allows engagement, not indicating a disconnection. A pitch trim fault signals a problem with the trim system itself and would prevent the autopilot from engaging because relying on faulty trim data could lead to unstable or unexpected pitch changes. Because of that, a pitch trim fault is not a condition that allows engagement, so it is the item that does not fit with the listed engagement conditions.