[NO BUG] Autopilot won't engage...

[Bluecat]

I can't get the autopilot to engage for anything other than attitude hold. Anything that requires me to press the NWS/Autopilot button on the stick doesn't work. No altitude hold, no heading hold, etc. Following the instructions, step by step, I get the the "AP Ref" light to illuminate just fine, every time, but pressing the NWS/Autopilot button has zero effect.

 

 

Any help is appreciated.

Edited July 9, 2019 by IronMike

[Biggus]

Working fine for me on current OB patch.

 

Could you have inadvertently turned off one of the SAS switches?

[VampireNZ]

Yep I noticed that the other day too - trying to engage ALT hold and NWS button wasn't activating AP, REF light illuminated. Was busy sorting A-A radar contacts and TACAN etc at the time so was just stabbing at the button while ensuring a/c was level then just gave up. Just another system in DCS that doesn't work properly - you get used to it lol, no autopilot for you today sir, write it up when you land. Used to work fine - am sure the groundies will sign it off "Unable to replicate on ground - Fault not confirmed"

 

Perhaps they fixed it in the OB update a few days ago.

Edited July 4, 2019 by VampireNZ

[Bluecat]

Working fine for me on current OB patch.

 

Could you have inadvertently turned off one of the SAS switches?

SAS switches were on.

[IronMike]

Here is one question for you guys, I tried the AP - and it works everytime for me, any config. So, one possibility I could think of, is speed:

 

EDIT: I previously said AP engage above 450 kts does not work, my apologies that is wrong, it is the speedbrake and I got it mixed up for a sec.

Edited July 13, 2019 by IronMike

[Bluecat]

Are you maybe faster than 450 kts IAS? Because above that speed AP will not engage with the ref button.

A few days ago I read that it was only supposed to work below 400 KIAS.

 

 

 

So, I've tried it below 400 KIAS at least a dozen times over the last 3 days. The Autopilot engage button fails to have any effect at any speed. The button depresses visually on the stick when I hit the key-binding, so I know the command is being sent. But it's not engaging any flight control.

 

 

 

I've tried it in basically every set of conditions I can think of.

 

 

 

I haven't tried it while inverted yet.

[SonofEil]

I know it’s obvious but I haven’t seen it mentioned in this thread, but has everyone checked to make sure their NWS/autopilot control binding hasn’t been duplicated or erased? I had this happen with my autopilot ‘master’ (attitude hold) toggle switch a couple updates ago. In the bindings page it had inexplicably moved to a blank column. I deleted the assignment and re-bound (binded?) to my warthog throttle quad and it worked fine after that.

[Biggus]

Okay, I've just experienced a similar thing with AP but in this case it is unable to disengage by key command. I can use the mouse to disengage it. This is in a mission with an air start. I'll test it out a bit more tomorrow to see if it is repeatable. Could be same bug, could be different bug.

[Bluecat]

...has everyone checked to make sure their NWS/autopilot control binding hasn’t been duplicated or erased?

I know the binding isn't erased because I've checked multiple times. More than that, I know an actual command is being registered by the sim because when I press the key, I can see the little button depress on the left side of the stick.

 

 

As far as the key-binding being duplicated, nothing shows up in the "Currently In Use" window when I check the binding.

[Bluecat]

Update...

 

 

Suddenly all the autopilot functions work. Or at least they worked on my flight just now. I don't know why. The only thing of note is that this was the longest flight I've done yet in the sim, and the AP only started working after making a flight from Kobuleti to the Stennis, landing (badly), then launching. Only on the way back from the Stennis did it begin to work, with no hassle at all.

[draconus]

...I know an actual command is being registered by the sim because when I press the key, I can see the little button depress on the left side of the stick.

I hope you mean the red button in front of the stick, not the white one on the left side.

 

http://www.heatblur.se/F-14Manual/cockpit.html#control-stick

[IronMike]

Update...

 

 

Suddenly all the autopilot functions work. Or at least they worked on my flight just now. I don't know why. The only thing of note is that this was the longest flight I've done yet in the sim, and the AP only started working after making a flight from Kobuleti to the Stennis, landing (badly), then launching. Only on the way back from the Stennis did it begin to work, with no hassle at all.

 

 

Interesting. Was it maybe so that everytime it did not work you took off from land?

[Bluecat]

Interesting. Was it maybe so that everytime it did not work you took off from land?

I don't think so. I've done a few flights since then, including a couple from land, and now everything seems to work as intended.

 

 

It's a mystery to me. But for now, all seems fine.

[IronMike]

Ok, I will mark it as no bug in the meantime, if it reoccurs, please let us know. Thank you for your reports!