Pilot interface for aircraft autothrottle control

A system for controlling an autothrottle of an aircraft that includes a power-control input (PCL) manually movable by a pilot along a travel path to effect a throttle setting that controls engine power of the aircraft, the system comprising:

• an autothrottle controller including processing circuitry, memory, and input/output facilities, the autothrottle controller operative to execute instructions including a user-interface process and an autothrottle control program;
• an autothrottle actuator mechanically coupled to the PCL and operative to set and dynamically adjust the PCL in response to an output of the autothrottle controller;
• an autothrottle activation input device operatively coupled to the autothrottle controller;
• an autothrottle mode input device operatively coupled to the autothrottle controller;
• and
• a display device operatively coupled to the autothrottle controller;
• wherein the autothrottle control program, when executed, causes the autothrottle controller to determine a control-target setting and to command the autothrottle actuator to set and dynamically adjust the PCL according to the control-target setting when the system is in an engaged state for autothrottle control;
• wherein the user-interface process, when executed, causes the autothrottle controller to set and dynamically adjust a virtual detent, the virtual detent being located at a position along the travel path of the PCL corresponding to the control-target setting, wherein the virtual detent is operative, at least when the system is in a disengaged state for autothrottle control, to indicate the control-target setting to the pilot via a haptic effect that applies a detent force opposing motion of the PCL in response to the PCL achieving the position of the virtual detent;
• and
• wherein the user-interface process, when executed, causes the autothrottle controller to:
• respond to actuation of the autothrottle activation input device by toggling between the engaged and the disengaged states;
• respond to actuation of the autothrottle mode input device by switching between different ones of a plurality of autothrottle control modes;
• and
• display information indicative of a selected one of the plurality of autothrottle control modes on the display device.