Automatic manoeuvre flaps/slats behaviour

[VC]

With the F-14 as released the slats would extend automatically at a certain AoA, and retract again when AoA decreased. A few patches ago this stopped. It was raised as a bug but not acknowledged as such, and not fixed for multiple patches now. So is this intended behaviour? No automatic slat movement, only manual?

[Eldur]

I still had them coming down just a few days ago when pulling, but I had to retract them manually afterwards... I guess putting a virtual duct tape on the wheel is the best way to deal with this anyway. Doin' this with by boat switch.

[VC]

That's really strange, mine never deploy automatically no matter what AoA I pull. I've set up my controls to quickly use them manually and I don't mind doing this if that's how it's meant to be. I'd just like an answer as to whether this change is deliberate i.e. the real plane works like that, in which case it's fine. Or if it's a bug, in which case when will it be fixed.

[VC]

OK I worked it out.

 

Automatic manoeuvre flap and slat extension is not bugged, works fine. However, if you assign an axis, like a wheel on your controller, to the DLC/manoeuvre flap axis, it constantly over-rides the position so it looks like the automatic system isn't working. Unassigned the axis, bound buttons to DLC fwd/aft, and everything works fine.

 

Still looks like a bug to me, but at least now I have a workaround!

Edited July 10, 2019 by VC

[r4y30n]

Yeah, that'll be a problem for anyone with Virpil's new grip.

[VC]

Yeah, that'll be a problem for anyone with Virpil's new grip.

 

 

Nope, this is a problem with the pinky wheel on the Thrustmaster TWCS.

[TOViper]

OK I worked it out.

Automatic manoeuvre flap and slat extension is not bugged, works fine. However, if you assign an axis, like a wheel on your controller, to the DLC/manoeuvre flap axis, it constantly over-rides the position so it looks like the automatic system isn't working. Unassigned the axis, bound buttons to DLC fwd/aft, and everything works fine.

Still looks like a bug to me, but at least now I have a workaround!

 

 

This is working for me.

I assigned RSHIFT plus two different buttons (one forward, one aftward) on my stick, and they move.

Edited July 11, 2019 by TOViper
did something wrong, works for me! sorry!

[VC]

This is working for me.

I assigned RSHIFT plus two different buttons (one forward, one aftward) on my stick, and they move.

 

That's exactly what I said I did in the end, and it works.

 

What I said is broken is if instead of using buttons you go to to "Axis assign" and map "DLC / Maneuver flaps retract" to a wheel on your joystick (or throttle in my case), then the wheel position constantly over-rides whatever the automatic system is trying to do. So if the wheel is at "retract" they'll never extend, and vice-versa.

 

EDIT: it doesn't work if you assign it to a slider type axis that stays where you put it. It does work if you assign it to a spring-loaded axis that self-centers.

Edited July 11, 2019 by VC

[Eldur]

I have that thing on my TMWH slew stick (as well as on the boat switch for "holding" it) for fine control, but with considerable dead zones.

[VC]

Yeah, I've now put it on the mini-stick on my TWCS, also with a large dead-zone. At least that was free since the Tomcat doesn't have a TDC.

 

So on the real plane is the thumbwheel for this also spring loaded to self-center?

[IronMike]

Hi guys, sorry for not getting back earlier, we're investigating another MF behavior atm I thought might be related to that, but it ain't.

 

Glad you found the solution, I tested MF in general and without the axis bound automatic deployment works fine.

 

I will check if the axis behavior is intended, as for spring loaded I'd need to check.

[IronMike]

IRL it is spring loaded and should self center and not override the position unless engaged. it is a bit hard to implement that though, since you would have to manually center it, which is what is happening now. we'll think about this, but I doubt there is much we could improve with the axis.

[VC]

Thanks for getting back and sorry if my opening post was a bit strong, it's just that this was reported as a bug before so I assume someone else had the same issue and didn't test, or maybe it was briefly broken and my binding was hiding the fix.

 

If the real thing is spring-loaded and hold-to-actuate then the way you have modelled it makes sense. There are others e.g. F/A-18 radar elevation that work like that, if you set it to a wheel that stays put it just keeps raising/lowering the radar dish until you manually center it into the deadzone (I have a very wacky curve to make that work).

 

 

It might be nice if the actual DLC wheel behaviour could be briefly documented in the cockpit overview section of the manual.