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Crazy Heading Hold Behavior


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Hey everyone - so I've been learning the Mi-8 and practicing all her features, including trying to get a hang of the autopilot system. However every once in a while I'll have the heading hold just go crazy on me. But this time I finally managed to catch it in the attached track.

 

Starts at 12:04:30

I release pedals at heading ~000-010 and it turned me to ~030-040. I keep going and trying again and again and it kept getting more and more extreme off course. Sometimes the heading hold works great for me; when i release the pedals it will hold that exact heading. However every once in a while this happens and it force turns me in all sorts of crazy directions. at one point you'll see it flip me a full 180, then just spin out of control.You can see when I'm pressing pedals when the heading hold AP light turns off.

 

Another weird thing is, I try to press trimmer reset to center the pedals but it didn't ever work this time. Not sure if that's related.

 

Am I doing something wrong here? I swear it should be simple.

Pedals pressed=heading AP paused

pedals released=heading AP engaged on current heading.

autoweird.trk

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Before engaging the heading hold channel, make sure its properly aligned. I cant describe it but do the following quick easy step: look at the heading autopilot rotating knob. It it is wildly spinning before engaging the autopilot, expect it to behave stupid. Or wait for it to stop spinning.

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Before engaging the heading hold channel, make sure its properly aligned. I cant describe it but do the following quick easy step: look at the heading autopilot rotating knob. It it is wildly spinning before engaging the autopilot, expect it to behave stupid. Or wait for it to stop spinning.

 

is it supposed to work like that?

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Errr.... I don't think so. How is the knob supposed to rotate if the heading channel is not engaged :D? AI flight engineer rotates knobs only when AP is turned on (and when the engineer himself is active, obviously).

i7 9700K @ stock speed, single GTX1070, 32 gigs of RAM, TH Warthog, MFG Crosswind, Win10.

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Errr.... I don't think so. How is the knob supposed to rotate if the heading channel is not engaged :D? AI flight engineer rotates knobs only when AP is turned on (and when the engineer himself is active, obviously).

 

have you noticed the weird behavior i described, Art?

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Haven't used heading channel for a long time, so can't answer that. Might do some test flying later. I wonder if these issues could be caused by simulation mode for rudder pedals trimmer and AI flight engineer. I fly with the former turned off (never was a fan of virtual pedals being in different position than real ones) and the latter turned on in "special" options.

i7 9700K @ stock speed, single GTX1070, 32 gigs of RAM, TH Warthog, MFG Crosswind, Win10.

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Haven't used heading channel for a long time, so can't answer that. Might do some test flying later. I wonder if these issues could be caused by simulation mode for rudder pedals trimmer and AI flight engineer. I fly with the former turned off (never was a fan of virtual pedals being in different position than real ones) and the latter turned on in "special" options.

 

yeah i fly with rudder trimmer on since i only have a twist joystick (MSFT FFB 2) and its basically impossible to fly any length of time with your wrist twisted. the FFB does make it really cool for the regular trimmer though as it keeps its position after the trim. but there's always a tradeoff. wonder if AI flight engineer could be the culprit as well.

 

let me know if you get any tests in. thanks, its really been driving me up a wall

Acer Predator Triton 700 || i7-7700HQ || 512GB SSD || 32GB RAM || GTX1080 Max-Q || FFB II and Thrustmaster TWCS Throttle || All DCS Modules

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Have never seen this. But I've never used the FE assistance option and my pedals have their centering spring removed so rudder trim is off as well.

 

I strongly recommend you buy a set of rudder pedals since a chopper this complex just _cannot_ be enjoyed to the fullest without. Your decision, of course, but still.

The DCS Mi-8MTV2. The best aviational BBW experience you could ever dream of.

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Have never seen this. But I've never used the FE assistance option and my pedals have their centering spring removed so rudder trim is off as well.

 

I strongly recommend you buy a set of rudder pedals since a chopper this complex just _cannot_ be enjoyed to the fullest without. Your decision, of course, but still.

 

since you don't use the AI FE, what's your technique for adjusting the AP controls and dials in flight?

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Just for the record, I don't have rudder pedals either. I use racing wheel pedals instead, which are obviously not well suitable for prolonged application of left/right either. HOWEVER, given the fact that this chopper is designed to fly with feet off the pedals at typical cruising speeds of 180 +/-10, I neither feel the urgent need for buying proper pedals, nor the need for using heading channel of the autopilot at all.

i7 9700K @ stock speed, single GTX1070, 32 gigs of RAM, TH Warthog, MFG Crosswind, Win10.

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what's your technique for adjusting the AP controls and dials in flight?
I only use the AP as an axis stabilator and thus never touch the AP controls per se.

 

During short flights, I only use the roll/pitch stab channel, operate flight controls (cyclic, collective, rudder) as necessary and always trim afterwards. During long flights, I use all channels and, again, make control adjustments as necessary and always trim afterwards. That's about it.

 

EDIT: clarified my explanation a bit


Edited by msalama

The DCS Mi-8MTV2. The best aviational BBW experience you could ever dream of.

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If you use excessive collective (heavy take off or fast straight line speed) whilst the heading AP is on it will physically move your pedals to compensate for the large airframe torque and this offset in the pedals will remain unless adjusted. Generally if the AP reaches the limits shown on the AP yaw indicator your pedals will become permanently offset to compensate.

 

I have not seen the track.... but is this possibly what you are seeing?

 

Look at your virtual pedals to confirm.

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