Something seems different with the autopilot all of a sudden

[ZeroReady]

It used to be that with flight director off, and the 3 main channels on, you would hold the trimmer, get the bird set how you want it, then release the trim and it would hold everything. It feels like it's still doing that I guess, but on the heading tape at the top of the hud, there used to be a carat that would illuminate over the heading you had when you release the trim and that's what it would hold. That carat isn't there anymore.

[Volk.]

Not in the sim right now, but I have seen that carat/diamond on the HUD this week (in the openbeta at least), so possibly it's something missing from your startup. I think maybe the DT-DH toggle might be in the middle instead of up or down (it's near the AP channel buttons). Otherwise maybe K-041 or INU.

Note that heading carat doesn't show your trimmed heading sometimes if you're messing with autopilot modes or especially if the PVI-800 is has a steerpoint selected - then the heading carat reflects the desired heading instead. Also the Shkval pointing somewhere, having a data link target on Ingress or Target Point selected on the PVI puts the HUD into a combat mode, which then shows the target location (think as a circle) instead of the diamond.

Hope that helps.

[Raptor9]

What Volk said ^

Some more conditions that affect the command heading diamond:

1) No Waypoint/Airfield selected on PVI-800, diamond will be referenced to heading value at last trimmer release

2) Waypoint/Airfield selected on PVI-800 and DH/DT switch is in either DH or DT position, the diamond will indicate heading to that WP/AF location

3) Waypoint/Airfield selected on PVI-800 and DH/DT switch is in the center position, the diamond will be referenced to heading value at last trimmer release

 

Otherwise like Volk said, if PVI-800 NavTGT or PRTz datalink point selected you are in Ingress mode and you get the circle on relative bearing scale (+/- 180 degree scale, or if in Shkval slew range +/- 30 degree scale), showing you the direction to that NavTGT or datalink point.

 

If you are just flying around in Nav mode, regardless of FD on or off, you should have a command heading diamond. If not there is something not switched on or powered up correctly as Volk mentioned.

Edited July 25, 2021 by Raptor9