F-15C AUTOPILOT FRUSTRATION

[bigchump]

I can't get the autopilot to work at all. The switches above the throttle quadrant all turn on and off ok but nothing happens. Yes, I am flying straight and level when I try. Is there an indicator that shows whether the AP is on or off other than the switches?

 

EDIT: PROBLEM SOLVED BY cofcorpse -- It was my joystick dead zone that caused all the trouble!

Edited January 7, 2015 by bigchump
problem fixed by cofcorpse

[GGTharos]

Look at the caution panel, there is a lamp for the attitude hold and one for the altitude hold.

 

Altitude hold will only work while attitude hold is engaged.

[bigchump]

Look at the caution panel, there is a lamp for the attitude hold and one for the altitude hold.

 

Altitude hold will only work while attitude hold is engaged.

 

Thanks GGTharos but no joy. The switches work but no lights for either attitude hold or altitude hold. And, of course, no autopilot either....

 

EDIT: I'm gonna check for a buggy Steam install

Edited January 6, 2015 by bigchump
check for bugs in installation

[GGTharos]

Are the switches popping back into the off position? Is your CAS functioning correctly?

 

Please describe the exact steps you go through to engage autopilot. Let's stick to Attitude Hold:

 

Give aircraft parameters (Attitude, speed, altitude), what you do to/when go into ATT Hold (stick input, buttons pressed, etc), how you check it's working.

[bigchump]

Are the switches popping back into the off position? Is your CAS functioning correctly?

 

Please describe the exact steps you go through to engage autopilot. Let's stick to Attitude Hold:

 

Give aircraft parameters (Attitude, speed, altitude), what you do to/when go into ATT Hold (stick input, buttons pressed, etc), how you check it's working.

 

I try to engage when flying slow and level @ about 300 knots and 5000ft.

Repeatedly pressing the "A" key moves the switch but nothing else happens.

My Steam install is OK.

The only switch that pops back into the off position is Alt hold when I cycle the "A" key.

 

I'm not sure how to check the CAS...but the three higher CAS switches are always on.

Edited January 6, 2015 by bigchump

[sslechta]

I believe ATTITUDE hold is Left ALT + 1.

[bigchump]

I believe ATTITUDE hold is Left ALT + 1.

 

Left ALT + 1 is also mapped but seems to have no effect except to move the switch.

Edited January 6, 2015 by bigchump

[Spt]

When you engage the ATT HOLD you will see only "auto plt" light in caution panel ( right down corner ) then to keep that, let your stick in center position. Each time you manoeuver the stick, you disengage the ATT HOLD and reengage it when you release it.

 

++

[GGTharos]

Ok, what does 'nothing else happens' mean?

 

What are you expecting to happen?

 

I try to engage when flying slow and level @ about 300 knots and 5000ft.

Repeatedly pressing the "A" key moves the switch but nothing else happens.

My Steam install is OK.

The only switch that pops back into the off position is Alt hold when I cycle the "A" key.

 

I'm not sure how to check the CAS...but the three higher CAS switches are always on.

[bigchump]

Ok, what does 'nothing else happens' mean?

 

What are you expecting to happen?

 

I'm just expecting the AP to take control of the plane and it doesn't happen.

 

Is it normal for the ATT HOLD switch to be able to turn "on" while sitting on the runway? (mine does and it seems weird).

Edited January 6, 2015 by bigchump

[GGTharos]

What does 'expecting the AP to take control of the aircraft' mean?

 

When I say I want to know what you're expecting it to do, I really mean exactly what you're expecting it to do, not you assuming that I know what you're thinking it should do :)

 

I'm just expecting the AP to take control of the plane and it doesn't happen.

[sslechta]

P.S. - When that ATTITUDE light turns on in the lower right of the light panel the plane will just stay pointed in it's current position. The plane doesn't move and adjust. That's why it's ATTITUDE lock and not ALTITUDE at that point.

[bigchump]

When you engage the ATT HOLD you will see only "auto plt" light in caution panel ( right down corner ) then to keep that, let your stick in center position. Each time you manoeuver the stick, you disengage the ATT HOLD and reengage it when you release it.

 

++

 

I'm not getting ANY "auto plt" light at all. When I make a big move on the stick the ATT HOLD switch turns to off but does not turn back on.

[sslechta]

Maybe you have a bad keyboard config file or some other config file not set up right. Are you using or have installed any mods lately?

[bigchump]

Maybe you have a bad keyboard config file or some other config file not set up right. Are you using or have installed any mods lately?

 

No Steve, no mods used or installed but I used ME to create this mission I am flying. I couldn't find any training missions for the f15c so I had to make my own.

 

EDIT: I have had problems with ME and bogus payloads on the A10c and maybe this is something similar.

Edited January 6, 2015 by bigchump

[sslechta]

OK, how about flying a built in mission or multiplayer and trying it again. Just trying to figure out different ways to hit this.

[bigchump]

OK, how about flying a built in mission or multiplayer and trying it again. Just trying to figure out different ways to hit this.

 

Thanks, I'll try that.

[Officer25]

what stick are you using bigchump? if you are not using one and using the keyboard, the design for the stick has been changed in the past month/two so that the the stick does not return to the center when you stop depressing the keys. this will result in it being almost inpossible to engage the autopilot; as you can only engage it with it a 5 (although my experience more says about a 2-3) degree deviation from horizon. and the stick can barely be moved from the center for it to engage.

 

hint: if you see the little switches on the panel turn up, the autopilot is not engaged. it will actually only function in the plane if you see the lights on the right panel light up AUTOPLT and ALTHOLD (or something like those).

[SDsc0rch]

yepyep.. i detail this here

[bigchump]

yepyep.. i detail this here

 

My problem is different -- I have no autopilot at all.

 

I tried a built in campaign mission but no joy and no autopilot yet.

[bigchump]

what stick are you using bigchump? if you are not using one and using the keyboard, the design for the stick has been changed in the past month/two so that the the stick does not return to the center when you stop depressing the keys. this will result in it being almost inpossible to engage the autopilot; as you can only engage it with it a 5 (although my experience more says about a 2-3) degree deviation from horizon. and the stick can barely be moved from the center for it to engage.

 

hint: if you see the little switches on the panel turn up, the autopilot is not engaged. it will actually only function in the plane if you see the lights on the right panel light up AUTOPLT and ALTHOLD (or something like those).

 

Using Logitech extreme3d pro joystick and razer ultimate keyboard.

No autopilot and no lights on the caution panel but all AP switches are working ok. Weird problem.

[SDsc0rch]

i have ATT HOLD a/p

 

but no ALT HOLD

 

 

the velocity vector should return to the horizon when ALT HOLD is selected - but it does not

[Spt]

[cofcorpse]

Maybe some track? So I can see, what the problem is.

[bigchump]

Maybe some track? So I can see, what the problem is.

 

I would love to do that (if I knew how to).

I need detailed instructions on how to save a track file and upload it

Thanks,

BC

 

EDIT: I found a built in campaign for the f15 so by flying a mission from that eliminates any probs. with the Mission Editor that may have occurred with my custom mission I created. Now the caution panel lights are working. I can see two red lights that say "Auto Plt" and "ALTITUDE" but still the AP doesn't work - all I end up doing is crashing into the ground when trying to use it.

Edited January 7, 2015 by bigchump