Definition
The selectable operating modes of a helicopter's Flight Director (FD) and Autopilot (AP) systems, which together determine how the aircraft is guided or controlled. Flight Director modes display steering commands on the attitude indicator for the pilot to follow manually, while Autopilot modes cause the aircraft to fly those commands automatically through the flight control servos. Common modes include heading hold, altitude hold, vertical speed, navigation tracking (VOR/GPS), and approach.
Plain English
The different settings the pilot can choose for the helicopter's automatic flying systems. Some settings just show the pilot what to do; others actually fly the helicopter for them. Examples include holding a heading, holding an altitude, or tracking a course.
Context Anchor
Seen when using a helicopter automatic flight control system during instrument flight, especially while setting up navigation, altitude, or approach guidance.
Derivation
“Mode” comes from a word meaning “way” or “manner.” In this context, it means the particular way the flight director or autopilot is set to operate.
Why Pilots Care
Proper selection prevents mode confusion and allows safe, low-workload flight in instrument conditions.
Analogy
Think of FD/AP modes like selecting a task on a machine: one setting tells it to hold direction, another tells it to follow a planned path, and another may manage height. The system only does the task that is actually selected and active.
Intuition Check
Do not assume an FD/AP mode always means the helicopter is flying itself. A flight director mode may only give visual guidance; the autopilot must be engaged for the system to move the controls automatically.
Example Sentence 1
Before starting the approach, the pilot selected the appropriate FD/AP modes so the helicopter would track the final approach course and capture the glideslope.
Example Sentence 2
During the ILS approach the FD/AP modes changed to capture the localizer and glideslope.