How do I use Autopilot?

[TheTrooper]

Hi so I can't get Auto Pilot working for me even after following Grim Reapers tutorial. I must be missing something.

 

I Select the A/P button. Move the two boxes on the HSI using the HDG switch and hit the HSEL button so I get a semi colon. PLane does nothing.:cry:

 

Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

[TheTrooper]

Hi so I can't get Auto Pilot working for me even after following Grim Reapers tutorial. I must be missing something.

 

I Select the A/P button. Move the two boxes on the HSI using the HDG switch and hit the HSEL button so I get a semi colon. PLane does nothing.:cry:

 

Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

 

 

Its the friggin flight stick I'm using.

[NahkaSukka]

I dont know about HSEL but i had to recalibrate my stick so my BALT would work.

[Emmy]

Hornet requires a “noticeable” Dead Zone in both X and Y axis so the A/P can connect without any roll or pitch influence.

[Sierra99]

Check out: https://www.mudspike.com/wp-content/uploads/guides/DCS%20FA-18C%20Hornet%20Guide.pdf

 

Check

Pg 7 for controls setup

Pg 251 for Auto Pilot explanation and use.

[NahkaSukka]

Hornet requires a “noticeable” Dead Zone in both X and Y axis so the A/P can connect without any roll or pitch influence.

 

Depends what stick you are using. My T-50 doesn't need any deadzone.

[autracer]

Look @ settings, iff autotrim is aktive, ap allways disengage. Change setting.

For me it works without problems.

 

Gesendet von meinem MHA-L29 mit Tapatalk

[TheTrooper]

I’m using a Cyborg F.L.Y 5 stick. Obviously not great for this. Any other recommendations that’s low budget and works well?

[bbrz]

T16000M. Extremely precise due to the hall sensors. Can be configured for left hand use as well.

[NahkaSukka]

T16000M. Extremely precise due to the hall sensors. Can be configured for left hand use as well.

 

My friend also bought this and says it's really good. Recommended it for him just because of HALL sensor, he was reluctant to buy it but now when we fly he all the time comments how great stick it is :D

[bbrz]

I've used a lot of different/expensive sticks and pedals, but since I'm sitting at my desk in front of a 27" monitor, my T16000M matches this 'cockpit' environment nicely.

[pickafivestring]

Well, it was a simple fix for me. My crappy HOTAS couldn't have a big enough deadzone, but the solution was to just jiggle the joystick.

 

 

 

So, to set BARO hold, I press the button next to BARO, wait for the colon dots to appear, then lightly jiggle the joystick in the climb and descent axis. During the jiggling, you will by necessity, hit a zero input spot, and the BARO hold will kick in.

 

 

Same technique goes for ATT and HDG.

 

 

Try it a couple times, and when the A/P catches, you will see that it's pretty easy to replicate. I wish ED would build in a deadzone in the A/P to allow activation without doing this. Most HOTAS's make some noise, and ED could help the situation a bit as a concession to differing levels of HOTAS quality.

 

 

 

Tim

[frostycab]

I think I may have an idea concerning the problem, but please forgive me if I'm getting the wrong impression.

 

You say you're using the rocker switch above the MPCD to set the desired heading on your HSI, right? When you then look at the UFC, is HSEL on the *bottom* OSB with no other OSBs displaying anything? If so then I think you're actually in direct input mode where you're able to type in the desired heading on the UFC. (Not 100% sure if this is what it does, but I think I've seen it done this way.) Even if you've already selected the A/P pushbutton on the UFC, adjusting the desired heading using the rocker switch will change the OSB options to this mode, and you need to manually push the A/P button again to get all the autopilot modes visible again.

 

To enable the autopilot you need to press the A/P putton on the UFC, which should then display the autopilot mode options on the OSBs. (ATTH, HSEL, BALT, and RALT). HSEL will be on OSB2. Hitting this should then give you the colon marks next to it and actually engage the autopilot in the heading select mode.

 

Sorry if I've misunderstood the issue, but it just sounds to me like a procedural issue rather than a hardware one. Procedures are usually cheaper to fix. :)

I hope that helps

Edited August 29, 2019 by frostycab

[Gosling]

I have a T-16000M so I can get the A/P to engage okay. The problem comes when deselecting the A/P. If BAlt Hold is in and I deselect it (no colon) I find the hold stays in until I move the stick, but doesn’t release until I move it quite a lot so I get a sudden jolt (deviation) in height where I was hoping to have a steady disengage.

 

Any ideas please!

[Preendog]

I could be wrong, but I don't think removing the colon via the UFC disengages AP.

 

The G-limit override/NWS disable button does it.

[frostycab]

I have a T-16000M so I can get the A/P to engage okay. The problem comes when deselecting the A/P. If BAlt Hold is in and I deselect it (no colon) I find the hold stays in until I move the stick, but doesn’t release until I move it quite a lot so I get a sudden jolt (deviation) in height where I was hoping to have a steady disengage.

 

Any ideas please!

 

I use a TM Warthog so can't offer specific advice about your stick, but I always use the paddle switch to disengage AP before moving the stick. Look for Autopilot/NWS Disengage or something like that in the bindings.

[rob10]

I could be wrong, but I don't think removing the colon via the UFC disengages AP.

 

The G-limit override/NWS disable button does it.

 

 

+1 to this. Just removing the colon (pressing the button beside that setting) DOES NOT turn off the AP. It leaves it in a basic AP holding mode (whose name escapes me at the moment). You need to use the NWS disengage (paddle switch) to disengage the AP.

[pickafivestring]

or just press [A] on the keyboard to disengage/engage basic A/P

 

 

Tim

[Tom Kazansky]

+1 to this. Just removing the colon (pressing the button beside that setting) DOES NOT turn off the AP. It leaves it in a basic AP holding mode (whose name escapes me at the moment). You need to use the NWS disengage (paddle switch) to disengage the AP.

 

 

The name is CSS or control stick steering.

 

 

Similar discussion here

 

 

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=246097

[CBStu]

Jeez, why so complicated? You press AP and then press, say BALT, the colon appears and AP starts working. So if you press BALT again and the colon disappears, AP should stop working, right? Seems logical to me but no... I could even understand needing to press AP and then BALT to shut it off but...

[Tom Kazansky]

Jeez, why so complicated? You press AP and then press, say BALT, the colon appears and AP starts working. So if you press BALT again and the colon disappears, AP should stop working, right? Seems logical to me but no... I could even understand needing to press AP and then BALT to shut it off but...

 

 

You are right. It is not intuitive. At least you are informed by the left DDI that AP is still on after the colon disappeared. Blame McDonnell Douglas. ;)

 

 

 

To make your peace with CSS mode: try to use it with aerial refuling. I love it.

[CBStu]

You are right. It is not intuitive. At least you are informed by the left DDI that AP is still on after the colon disappeared. Blame McDonnell Douglas. ;)....

Could you expand on that please? What do you have on your left DDI? I usually have the HSI screen there.

[Harker]

Could you expand on that please? What do you have on your left DDI? I usually have the HSI screen there.

In the advisories (ADV-) line. It says which autopilot modes are engaged, if any.

[Tom Kazansky]

In the advisories (ADV-) line. It says which autopilot modes are engaged, if any.

 

 

This.

 

 

There is a line of information at the bottom of the left DDI. IIRC most pages are overlayed by it. As I was new to the Hornet I thought I was a bug cause it lookes some kind of odd. But it is real. If the words in it a spread too much you can press master caution light and they line up closer.

[launchedsquid]

I'd like to know if anyone heard any news regarding Coupled Steering. My understanding is that our mission computer is running OFP13C based on a comment made by Wags... a year a go :) (12-09-2018, https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=3714670&postcount=8) hopefully that specification hasn't changed.

 

A1-F18AC-NFM-000

 

2.9.2.6 Coupled Steering (MC OFP 13C AND UP). The coupled steering options are: WYPT, OAP,

SEQ#, and TACAN range bearing. To engage coupled steering, the desired steering option must be available and selected on the HSI display, MC1 must be communicating with the FCS, then press the pushbutton next to the UFC option display window displaying CPL. Engagement is indicated by a colon appearing in the window next to CPL and a CPLD advisory on the DDI. The flight controls are coupled (azimuth only) to whatever active steering mode that has been selected (boxed) on the HSI display. Once coupled steering is engaged attitude hold and heading select A/P options are not available. CSS is available in pitch only. Lateral stick displacement greater than 0.5 inch causes the autopilot to decouple from the steering mode. Great circle course can be selected to the fly-to-point, or a selected radial (course line) through the fly-to-point. If course line is selected prior to the fly-to-point, flight controls capture the selected radial, overfly the fly-to-point and continue on the out bound radial. A coupled bank limit option is available on the A/C data display and allows the pilot to select TAC or NAV bank angle limit mode. Selecting NAV limits the bank angle to a maximum of 30°.

Selecting TAC limits the bank angle to a maximum of 30° to 60° (depending on airspeed). Refer to Chapter 24 for detailed navigation steering information under Waypoint/OAP, Auto Sequential, and TACAN Steering.