Definition
An automatic flight control system function that, once armed and engaged, flies the airplane through final approach, flare, touchdown, and rollout without pilot control inputs, using autopilot, autothrottle, and precision guidance from a suitably equipped runway (typically an ILS Category II or III approach).
Plain English
A system that lets the airplane land itself. The pilot sets it up and monitors it, but the autopilot actually flies the approach, touches the wheels down on the runway, and keeps the airplane straight as it slows.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of emergency response systems, especially aircraft equipped to help passengers or crew if the pilot cannot continue flying.
Derivation
A simple compound of 'auto' (from Greek 'autos', meaning self) and 'land'. The term means exactly what it sounds like: self-landing. Worth noting because the word's plainness can hide how much capability sits behind it.
Why Pilots Care
Enables safe landings in weather conditions where visual references are insufficient for manual landing.
Intuition Check
Autoland does not mean every airplane can land itself. It only applies to aircraft with a specific installed system, and its exact actions depend on that aircraft’s equipment and design.
Example Sentence 1
With visibility reported below minimums for a manual approach, the crew briefed and armed autoland for the Category III ILS.
Example Sentence 2
During autoland, the autopilot maintained the glide path while the autothrottle adjusted power for a smooth touchdown.