AUTOMATIC FLIGHT CONTROL METHOD FOR A ROTORCRAFT ENABLING THE ROTOCRAFT TO MAINTAIN A PATH BY TRACKING MANUAL FLIGHT CONTROLS

A method of enabling an autopilot (9) to cause a rotorcraft (1) to follow a path. At least one guide mode (G) relative to at least one progression axis (P, R, V, Y) of the rotorcraft (1) is selected by the rotorcraft pilot. Said selection causes the selected guide mode (G) to be inhibited (19) and causes a path setpoint (C) to be acquired (20) from the pilot of the rotorcraft (1) operating a manual control member (4) for controlling the progression of the rotorcraft (1). The path setpoints (C) relating to other guide modes (G) of the rotorcraft (1) that continue to be engaged are conserved in their initial states and the autopilot (9) adapts the commands relating to the progression axes (P, R, V, Y) relating to these other guide modes (G).