Definition
The integrated electronic flight systems found in modern aircraft, typically including a glass cockpit (electronic flight displays in place of mechanical instruments), an autopilot, a flight management system, and GPS navigation. These systems work together to display flight information, manage navigation, and control the aircraft along a programmed flight path.
Plain English
The computerized flight systems in modern aircraft — digital screens, autopilot, and navigation computers — that show flight information and can fly the aircraft along a planned route when the pilot sets them up.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of modern aircraft equipment, cockpit workload, system management, and mechanical factors that affect how a pilot flies the airplane.
Derivation
Automation' comes from the Greek 'automatos,' meaning 'self-acting.' 'Advanced' here means 'beyond basic' — so advanced automation is self-acting flight equipment that goes beyond a simple wing-leveler autopilot, integrating displays, navigation, and aircraft control into one connected system.
Why Pilots Care
Proper use prevents over-reliance that can erode manual flying skills and situational awareness during normal and abnormal operations.
Grounding Statement
In flight, advanced automation is helpful only when the pilot knows what it is set to do and keeps checking that it is actually doing it.
Intuition Check
Advanced does not mean the system is smarter than the pilot or safe to ignore. Automation can assist with flight tasks, but the pilot remains responsible for controlling and monitoring the airplane.
Example Sentence 1
Before her first flight in the G1000-equipped 172, she completed a ground session on advanced automation so she would understand the displays and autopilot before getting airborne.
Example Sentence 2
Training stresses that advanced automation must be monitored closely so the crew can quickly resume manual control if needed.