Flying on Autopilot

View from OK-CPL, a Cessna 172 RG (stands for retractable [landing] gear), which is a complex airplane (i.e. has an adjustable propeller) certified for IFR and also has a simple autopilot to maintain heading.

After reading about how to handle an airplane with an adjustable propeller, it was veryinteresting to see it in action. Basically, it's pretty simple, but, as it makes landing and take-off a little more complicated; I'm sure it will take me quite a bit of time to get used to before I'm comfortable with it. Additional things to worry about are: managing the landing gear, cowl flaps, and the propeller setting (which must be within limits according to the manifold pressure controlled by the throttle - basically you want to avoid having high manifold pressure and low RPMs, bad for the engine).

Anyway, I'll be waiting until after I get my pilot's license before I start working on the complex rating. Actually flying the plane once we got to cruise altitude was the easiest because we would just use the autopilot for heading and trim the plane to maintain altitude.

I have now passed all the Czech CAA PPL(A) theory tests, all I have to do now is pass the practical (flying) test and get my radio license, then I'll finally have my pilot's license.