autoland

Hands-free aircraft arrival

Autoland is an automated aircraft landing system that guides the plane through touchdown without pilot intervention.

Used primarily in low-visibility conditions when pilots cannot see the runway, autoland requires specially certified equipment on both the aircraft and the ground.

The pilot monitors but doesn't control: We were in heavy fog, so the crew let the autoland bring us in.

system

autopilot

Automated vehicle guidance system

glideslopeAircraft descent angle guidance
localizerDevice pinpointing exact location
avionicsAircraft electronic equipment

autobrake · autothrottle · GPS · fail-safe · redundancy · sensors · software · navigation · instrumentation · hydraulics

procedure

approach

Way of handling something

flareSudden bright burst
touchdownSix-point gridiron play
rolloutStaged public introduction

deceleration · go-around · minimums · threshold · airspeed · disengagement · taxiing

aircraft

airliner

Large commercial passenger plane

widebodyBroad-hulled aircraft type
narrowbodyOne-corridor passenger plane
BoeingAmerican aircraft manufacturer

Airbus · cockpit · captain · certification

conditions

fog

Low-lying cloud cover

zero-zeroTied at nothing
ceilingRoom's upper surface
IMCLow-visibility flight conditions

crosswind · IFR · smoke · haze

safety

redundancy

Needless duplication

go-aroundAbandoned landing attempt
certifiedOfficially declared valid
regulationsEnforced rules and standards

testing · validation

Opposites

landing control method

autolandmanual control

Human-directed action

landing procedure type

autolandgo-around

Abandoned landing attempt

touch-and-go

Family

auto, land, lands, landed, landing, landings, lander, landless, automobile

Familiarity: Top 1,000,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Rated G