What is the role of autothrust in maintaining a stabilized approach?

• A. Disabled in approach
• B. Controls bank angle
• C. Used only during takeoff
• D. Helps maintain target speed and descent profile; supports staying within stabilized criteria.

Answer: (D)

Energy management during the approach is what autothrust handles. Autothrust automatically adjusts thrust to hold the commanded airspeed, reacting to gusts, changes in drag from configuration, and other disturbances. This keeps the aircraft moving at the target speed along the descent, shaping the descent profile so you stay on the planned glide path and don’t drift out of the iced-in approach path. Keeping the proper speed and descent profile is crucial for a stabilized approach, where the aircraft remains on a consistent path with the correct configuration and a safe sink rate. Autothrust reduces pilot workload by handling throttle changes continuously, so you’re less likely to chase speed manually and risk overspeed or underrun. The system doesn’t control bank angle, which is the job of the lateral control/flight path system, and it’s not limited to takeoff—it's used during approach to preserve the energy state and support a stable landing.