If Unreliable Airspeed is suspected, which step is recommended first?

• A. Autopilot - DISENGAGE
• B. FDs - DESELECT
• C. Use ISI for pitch reference
• D. Maintain current pitch and power settings

Answer: (A)

When airspeed data can't be trusted, the safest first move is to take manual control by disengaging the autopilot. This stops automated commands that could be chasing a faulty speed indication and lets you directly manage pitch and thrust to stabilize the airplane using your own instruments. Once manual, you can reference the standby airspeed indicators and set a safe pitch and power to bring the airspeed to a known, stable value.

Deselecting the flight directors alone removes guidance, but the autopilot may still be in control or responding to bad data, so it doesn't fully remove the risk. Maintaining current pitch and power assumes the present data is correct, which isn't safe when airspeed is unreliable. Relying on an internal pitch reference isn't a standard fix for UIAS and can keep you in a state driven by questionable information.