FAA Instrument Rating Written Practice Test

During cruise flight in icing conditions, the generally recommended practice is to periodically disengage the autopilot and hand fly the aircraft. This approach allows pilots to actively assess and respond to any changes in the aircraft’s performance, which can be significantly affected by ice accumulation.

In icing conditions, the aerodynamics of the aircraft can degrade, and the autopilot may not be able to effectively compensate for changes in handling and control. Hand flying gives pilots direct feedback regarding the aircraft's response to control inputs, which is crucial for maintaining situational awareness and ensuring safety. Furthermore, making manual inputs can help identify potential handling issues arising from ice that may not be fully manageable by the autopilot systems.

Monitoring the autopilot while keeping it engaged does not provide the same level of hands-on control and might delay the pilot’s response to adverse conditions. Similarly, periodically disengaging and reengaging the altitude hold may not address the need for direct control and could create unnecessary workload and confusion if the aircraft experiences sudden changes in flight characteristics due to ice.