During turbulence, which autopilot mode is preferred to maintain stable attitude?

• A. Altitude hold
• B. Attitude hold
• C. Heading select
• D. Vertical speed

Answer: (B)

During turbulence, keeping the airplane’s orientation steady—its pitch and bank—is the priority. Autopilot modes serve different purposes, and the one that does this best is the attitude hold mode. Attitude hold locks onto a target attitude (or the current attitude) and continuously counteracts gusts to keep the wings and nose where you want them. This minimizes continuous tilts and oscillations, helping the aircraft feel steadier.

Altitude hold, on the other hand, is focused on maintaining a specific altitude by adjusting pitch and thrust as needed. Gusts can push the airplane up or down, and while the altitude is preserved, the attitude can drift, leading to a less stable feel in turbulence. Vertical speed controls ascent or descent rate, not attitude, so it won’t stabilize orientation. Heading select maintains a course, not the airplane’s attitude.

So, attitude hold is the best choice for maintaining a stable attitude when the air is bumpy.