G1000 nxi AutoPilot question

Bear with me, I am just putting a toe in the water regarding the G1000 nxi autopilot on the Cessna 172

Watching various videos I had the impression that simply hitting the AP button with nothing else selected starts the FD and should hold the aircraft's current roll and pitch (ROL and PIT in the display).

It certainly holds the roll but as far as I can tell not the pitch, am I missing something?

Geoff

Bear with me, I am just putting a toe in the water regarding the G1000 nxi autopilot on the Cessna 172

Watching various videos I had the impression that simply hitting the AP button with nothing else selected starts the FD and should hold the aircraft's current roll and pitch (ROL and PIT in the display).

It certainly holds the roll but as far as I can tell not the pitch, am I missing something?

Geoff

Yes. Try reading the instructions. Engaging the autopilot can be several different operations.

Yes. Try reading the instructions. Engaging the autopilot can be several different operations.

Thank you, which instructions? As far as I can seen unless you feel like paying for a manual there are no "official" instructions.

Free, using Google:

https://static.garmin.com/pumac/190-02799-00_b.pdf

It certainly holds the roll but as far as I can tell not the pitch, am I missing something?

Geoff

It works fine for me, just as you saw in the videos. How do you know pitch is not working? Watch the vertical speed indicator. Is it holding at a steady rate of ascent, descent or staying level? If so, i.e., the rate is steady, it is just maintaining the pitch you set when you activated the autopilot.