Plain English Meaning

The different jobs you can ask the autopilot to do — like 'hold this heading,' 'climb at this speed,' 'level off at this altitude,' or 'fly the approach.' You pick the mode, and the autopilot flies the airplane that way until you change it.

Full Definition

The selectable operating functions of an autopilot system that determine which flight parameters the autopilot will control and how it will control them. Modes are typically grouped into lateral modes (controlling heading or track, such as HDG, NAV, LNAV, or APPR), vertical modes (controlling altitude or vertical path, such as ALT, VS, FLC, or VNAV), and approach modes (such as APPR or /GS for coupling). Each mode is or by through the autopilot , and the active mode is shown on the flight .