[CANNOT REPRODUCE] Autopilot issue

[Mud]

Hey folks,

 

Anyone else experiencing the autopilot not working properly in DCS 2.5.6.53756 Open Beta?

 

When I select ALT HOLD, the plane actually starts to descend towards the ground.

 

My INS alignment was done properly (including ENT on long / lat / alt)

 

Best regards,

 

Mud

[deadpool]

Worked for me yesterday.

[Mud]

Is the steerpoint follow supposed to follow the elevation of the steerpoint, or just the direction?

 

I have the impression it is following the elevation, regardless of ALT HOLD set.

[kengou]

Is the steerpoint follow supposed to follow the elevation of the steerpoint, or just the direction?

 

I have the impression it is following the elevation, regardless of ALT HOLD set.

It should hold current altitude no matter what.

[Mud]

On further testing it appears to be my mission which is the cause. This mission, or rather the Vipers in it, used to work properly before the summer holiday however.

 

So in the mission, the AP is acting up and not really keen on maintaining altitude.

 

You will also notice that the AOA indexer and NWS/AR lights are dimmed as well when you enter the cockpit.

 

Mud

Target Range 2020.miz

[Mud]

Nevermind my last post. I just flew another mission in the Persian Gulf and have the same issue there with the AP. Something must have gone wrong with my install I fear.

 

I deleted the F-16 folder in Mods and Coremods and ran a repair already, but the issue persists.

 

So bottom line: it is probably not an issue with the Nevada mission I posted earlier.

[Emmy]

Honestly, except for those times when I select the wrong mode, the A/P has been pretty reliable.

 

And you are for sure in ALTitude Hold and not ATITude Hold?

[Mud]

Honestly, except for those times when I select the wrong mode, the A/P has been pretty reliable.

 

And you are for sure in ALTitude Hold and not ATITude Hold?

 

Yeah, I am. I usually enable ATT Hold after take-off till I reach my desired altitude, and then level out and switch to ALT Hold. I've never had issues with the AP in DCS, or in the other well known F-16 sim.

 

I really can't put my finger on it this time. :(

[Majik]

I had issues with the AP yesterday as well. Put it into ALT hold and STRG select, and neither worked. Didn't have the time to investigate.

 

Will have a go again tomorrow to see if it was a one-off, or there is indeed a possible bug.

[Sandman1330]

Check your dead zones on your controller. I didn’t have any issues before either, but recently I ran into the same problem as you. My Warthog stick on Virpil base was so heavy it was pulling the stick slightly forward of center. I increased my dead zones and it fixed the AP issue.

 

Maybe they recently reduced the control input tolerance for AP engagement?

[Mud]

Check your dead zones on your controller. I didn’t have any issues before either, but recently I ran into the same problem as you. My Warthog stick on Virpil base was so heavy it was pulling the stick slightly forward of center. I increased my dead zones and it fixed the AP issue.

 

Maybe they recently reduced the control input tolerance for AP engagement?

 

I will test this tonight. I would expect my aircraft to go into a climb then though as my stick is slightly leaning backwards.

 

Also, once you exceed the control input tolerance, does the AP switch return to the center then? Cause at least I can confirm already that the AP switch stays up in the ALT HOLD position on my tests so far.

[Sandman1330]

I will test this tonight. I would expect my aircraft to go into a climb then though as my stick is slightly leaning backwards.

 

Also, once you exceed the control input tolerance, does the AP switch return to the center then? Cause at least I can confirm already that the AP switch stays up in the ALT HOLD position on my tests so far.

 

In my case it stayed in the Alt Hold position. Made it super confusing for me!

[Majik]

Check your dead zones on your controller. I didn’t have any issues before either, but recently I ran into the same problem as you. My Warthog stick on Virpil base was so heavy it was pulling the stick slightly forward of center. I increased my dead zones and it fixed the AP issue.

 

Maybe they recently reduced the control input tolerance for AP engagement?

 

 

That would line up with the Hornet's AP. Chuck's guide recommends a small deazone for exactly that reason.

 

Will test out, as currently have 0% deadzone. When I first had the issue, I also had the magnetic alt hold stay in place most of the time I tried, and sometimes popping out immediately, which is probably confusing the issue.

[Mud]

Thanks for the tip, Sandman1330. Looks like this was my issue.

 

I enabled the controls display in game and notice I had a slight pitch down bias. I used the TM Calibration tool to recenter my stick, and all is well now.

 

What does remain a question now though is: you can overrule the AP without using the paddle switch and manouvre all you want, and the AP stays active. Once you recenter the stick, the AP carries on to where it should go.

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

What does remain a question now though is: you can overrule the AP without using the paddle switch and manouvre all you want, and the AP stays active. Once you recenter the stick, the AP carries on to where it should go.

Hello again, Mud ;-)

 

Yes I noticed that as well, and sometimes the ALT hold even seems to remember the altitude where you first set it, indeed causing pitching up/down when re-centering the controls.

I don't have any issues if I actually remember to disengage the AP or to use the paddle switch :doh:

[Majik]

Strangely, I had no issue at all today, even with 0 deadzone. Probably my stick playing up (used to have centering issues a while back). Timing of this thread was indeed coincidence it seems.

[Glide]

I have also noticed the AP issues. I have stopped using steerpoint automation because it sometimes goes backwards. Alt and Att hold are both broken at times.

[Mud]

Alt and Att hold are both broken at times.

 

I think they're actually working properly, but quite sensitive to control inputs. Since you can override the AP without the paddle switch in the F-16, it appears to be modeled accurately apart from that.

 

To elaborate:

 

Say you are at 15k feet and enable ALT HOLD.

 

1) Pitch up and climb to 20k feet and center your controls again > the aircraft will descend back to 15k feet.

2) Use the paddle switch and climb to 20k feet > the aircraft will now hold altitide at 20k feet.

 

At least that's how I understand the real Viper AP to function.

[Glide]

I can reproduce this 100% in the Viper with the X-56 Rhino setup.

[Glide]

This is stick related for me. I can change the behavior by adjusting the deadspots in axis tuning.