509th Bomb Wing · B-2 Spirit

Autopilot Quick Reference

HDG, NAV, AP, ALT, and APP modes. Armed modes show amber on the HUD; active modes show green. All controlled from the cockpit glareshield.

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Glareshield Panel

HDG
ON

NAV
ON

AP
ON

ALT
ON

APP
ON

Press the AP ON push button on the glareshield to engage. Armed = amber annunciation, Active = green.

HDG

HDG — Heading Hold

Locks the current heading — value updates each time mode is re-activated
Change target using the HDG SEL selector knob

NAV

NAV — GPS Navigation

Follows the flight plan from the World Map or a DIR route from the FMS

AP

AP — Master Autopilot

Engages / disengages the master autopilot
Must be on before any sub-mode will function

ALT

ALT — Altitude Hold

Holds current altitude — updates each time re-activated
Target altitude: ALT SEL knob · Rate of climb/descent: V/S SEL knob

APP

APP — Approach Hold (ILS only)

Follows an ILS tuned in the FMS NAV page with the correct inbound course set via CRS SEL knob
FMS NAV MODE must be set to NAV — not GPS — for APP to function

If APP does not capture: first thing to check is FMS NAV MODE. GPS mode → APP will not capture the ILS.

Selector	Sets	Used by
CRS SEL	Inbound course	APP mode
HDG SEL	Target heading	HDG mode
ALT SEL	Target altitude	ALT mode
V/S SEL	Rate of climb/descent	ALT transitions