Pilots can see and feel flight control inputs during which AFCS mode?

• A. Auto
• B. SAS
• C. Trim
• D. Attitude Hold

Answer: (C)

When the AFCS is in Trim mode, the system is actively adjusting the aircraft’s control surfaces to maintain the desired small attitude changes. Those trim adjustments are real surface movements that you can actually see on the cockpit indicators and feel through the control column as the forces change. In trim, the autopilot isn’t steering the aircraft full-time; it’s making fine, automatic surface tweaks to relieve pilot workload, so the motion and feel of the controls are directly observable. In other modes, like Auto or Attitude Hold, the autopilot is taking over the flight path and the motion of the controls is less about visible, palpable surface adjustments and more about maintaining the set attitude or flight path, so the pilot doesn’t perceive the same direct input. SAS mainly provides stabilization and damping, which can reduce oscillations but doesn’t produce the same distinct, visible trim movements.