Quick Question About FD

[Sharkster64]

Quick question about Flight Director. Does it actually change the way the aircraft flies or does it just give cueing in the hud regarding where the shark is trimmed. Ive flown with the shark in FD mode and without and I couldnt see any difference in the way the shark performed. I find that the extra cueing in the hud just clutters the display so I dont use Flight Director. But I have seen so many posts on how people wouldnt fly without it like it is some miraculous gadget making the shark fly like a dream when I think it flies like a dream without it.

[ZaltysZ]

Is AP channels ON? If yes, then you should see the difference.Try to bank it. Without FD, you will have to hold cyclic deflected to have banking angle of not zero (if it was trimmed to angle of 0), with FD you will have to neutralize cyclic after certain banking angle is reached.

[ericinexile]

You won't notice a significant difference unless you really compare complex manuevers with FD on and OFF. ZaltysZ is correct in his observation. Try two level, constant speed, constant bank, Coordinated 360 turns--one turn with FD on and one with FD off. Remember two things: 1) FD On = Autopilot off (except dampening functions), 2) FD Off with trim held is essentially the same as FD On but with no cyclic neutral point--which makes it a little less precise then flying with FD on.

 

Smokin' Hole

[Sharkster64]

Thankyou for the clarification. I tried what you said and was able to get a better understanding of the FD. In essence the FD gives you complete control of the aircraft without the autopilot trying to point you in the direction of your last trimmed heading. I noticed that you are not constantly fighting the autopilot with FD on even when you are trimming (the trim has no effect), but you still have alot of the stability offered by the autopilot. On the other hand you have to constantly provide input from your controls to maintain your heading. I also noticed that when you are engaging a target while hovering or trying to maintain forward flight, it is easier to have the FD off because you can maintain aircraft position with the trim (decreasing overtasking). I now know that if I am flying around for fun, taking evasive maneuvers or doing strafeing runs on a target the FD is the way to go so I dont have to constantly be trimming so im not fighting the autopilot.

 

Thankyou very much :thumbup:

Edited February 13, 2009 by Sharkster64

[ericinexile]

Thankyou for the clarification. I tried what you said and was able to get a better understanding of the FD. In essence the FD gives you complete control of the aircraft without the autopilot trying to point you in the direction of your last trimmed heading. I noticed that you are not constantly fighting the autopilot with FD on even when you are trimming (the trim has no effect), but you still have alot of the stability offered by the autopilot. On the other hand you have to constantly provide input from your controls to maintain your heading. I also noticed that when you are engaging a target while hovering or trying to maintain forward flight, it is easier to have the FD off because you can maintain aircraft position with the trim (decreasing overtasking). I now know that if I am flying around for fun, taking evasive maneuvers or doing strafeing runs on a target the FD is the way to go so I dont have to constantly be trimming so im not fighting the autopilot.

 

Thankyou very much :thumbup:

 

Yep. You got it!