S-TEC System 55X, Operating Handbook

Page: 25 / 56

2nd Ed: May 31, 2002 4-15
SYS FIFTY FIVE X POH
4.2.11 Control Wheel Steering
The System Fifty Five X Autopilot is equipped with a Control Wheel steering
(CWS) Mode of operation that is entered by use of the CWS switch located
on the control wheel. In order to use the mode, both a roll and pitch axis
mode must be engaged.
Use of the CWS Mode allows the pilot to manually maneuver the aircraft
without disconnecting the autopilot. Examples of its use include
maneuvering to avoid traffic, placing the aircraft in a specific bank or
climbing or descending without having to disconnect the autopilot.
Depress and hold the Control Wheel Steering Switch located on the
aircraft's control wheel. The CWS and VS Modes will annunciate.
Maneuver the aircraft as desired.
NOTE:
Aircraft vertical speed (times 100) will be displayed in
the Programmer / Computer Annunciator window
directly above the VS selector knob.
Example:
+ 6 equals 600 Feet Per Minute (FPM) rate of climb.
If desiring a specfic attitude, press CWS switch. Allow the aircraft to
stabilize in the desired attitude for 2 to 3 seconds, release the Control
Wheel Steering switch and the autopilot roll and pitch servos will engage
and synchronize with the aircraft's turn rate and vertical speed.
NOTE:
If the aircraft roll angle is greater than a standard rate
turn when the CWS switch is released, the bank angle
will be reduced to produce 90% of a standard rate turn
as a maximum.
From the CWS Mode, the pilot may select other modes such as HDG,
NAV, ALT, or may modify the present vertical speed using the VS knob.
The pilot may re-enter the CWS Mode at any time by simply depressing
the CWS switch on the control wheel, positioning the aircraft in the desired
roll and pitch attitude and releasing the CWS switch.
NOTE:
When in the CWS Mode, the autopilot is not referencing
any specific heading or attitude but is simply
maintaining the approximate aircraft attitude that
existed upon release of the CWS switch.