Editing Autopilot (section)

{{short description|System to maintain vehicle trajectory in lieu of direct operator command}}
{{About|the aircraft system}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
[[File:FMS B747-cockpit.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|The autopilot control panel of a [[Boeing 747-200]] aircraft]]
An '''autopilot''' is a system used to control the path of a vehicle without requiring constant manual control by a human operator. Autopilots do not replace human operators. Instead, the autopilot assists the operator's control of the vehicle, allowing the operator to focus on broader aspects of operations (for example, monitoring the trajectory, weather and on-board systems).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/advanced_avionics_handbook/media/aah_ch04.pdf |title=Automated Flight Controls |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=faa.gov |publisher= Federal Aviation Administration |access-date=20 February 2014}}</ref>

When present, an autopilot is often used in conjunction with an [[autothrottle]], a system for controlling the power delivered by the engines.
 
An autopilot system is sometimes [[Colloquialism|colloquially]] referred to as ''"George"''<ref name=george>{{cite web|title=George the Autopilot|url=http://fly.historicwings.com/2012/08/george-the-autopilot/|work=Historic Wings|publisher=Thomas Van Hare|access-date=18 March 2014}}</ref> (e.g. ''"we'll let George fly for a while"; "George is flying the plane now".''). The [[etymology]] of the nickname is unclear: some claim it is a reference to American inventor George De Beeson (1897–1965), who patented an autopilot in the 1930s, while others claim that [[Royal Air Force]] pilots coined the term during [[World War II]] to symbolize that their aircraft technically belonged to [[King George VI]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2020/april/pilot/presidents-position-giving-george-a-break |title=President's Position: Giving George a Break |last=Baker |first=Mark |date=1 April 2020 |website=aopa.org |publisher=[[Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association]] |access-date=16 May 2020}}</ref>