unable to reproduce Autopilot issue in custom mission

[supanova]

I'm having an odd issue with a custom mission - autopilot is not following steerpoints. I suspect it's failing after switching from NAV to TCN and back to NAV. The autopilot is not following the current steerpoint or switching to a new steerpoint when using AUTO. I've looked at other missions which have worked fine, but for some reason it doesn't work on this particular mission. It has to be something I'm missing, but I've worked through everything I can think of.

Also does TOS not take into account alignment and taxi? I suspect I need to add ten to fifteen minutes to allow for alignment and taxi?

f-16 autopilot issue.trk

[Lord Vader]

Hi @supanova

I can see the issue running your track. It is indeed strange we can't steer to steerpoint in that specific mission.

I was, however, unable to reproduce this in any other mission I tried with the same conditions. I can't pinpoint the exact problem here. 
It's not the switching between HSI modes for sure as I did it too and had no issue on my clean mission.

Some missions can inherit issues if they are created some time ago. All I can advise is to try to recreate the mission again and see if you still observe the problem.

Regarding TOS, you do need to calculate the TOS based on your own schedule. I your track, the ETA was set behind actual take-off time. 

[supanova]

9 hours ago, Lord Vader said:

Hi @supanova

I can see the issue running your track. It is indeed strange we can't steer to steerpoint in that specific mission.

I was, however, unable to reproduce this in any other mission I tried with the same conditions. I can't pinpoint the exact problem here. 
It's not the switching between HSI modes for sure as I did it too and had no issue on my clean mission.

Some missions can inherit issues if they are created some time ago. All I can advise is to try to recreate the mission again and see if you still observe the problem.

Regarding TOS, you do need to calculate the TOS based on your own schedule. I your track, the ETA was set behind actual take-off time. 

I think my installation is messed up, and I suspect it started after I added a wingman to the mission. I created that mission recently, and even creating new missions, with and without a wingman, doesn't fix it. The missions I create now have power set to main at the start and the aircraft never follows the steerpoint. However testing an older custom mission it does still seem to follow the steerpoint.

The only solution I can think of is to uninstall and reinstall.

[supanova]

This is turning into a real three pipe problem.

I had checked "synchronise controls to HOTAS" to recognise throttle in the off position. That worked but I realise now that a control automatically mapped to power was setting it to the main position. I cleared all the extraneous settings and turned off synchronisation and now steerpoints work fine if I takeoff from the runway.

However if I cold start from parking it still doesn't follow steerpoints - and steerpoint information is not displayed on the HUD.

Why would steerpoint information not be displayed? I'm sure if I can track that issue down it will fix the problem.

[supanova]

Something is not right here with normal INS alignment.

I have tried using ICP enter to manually confirm INS LAT/LONG, I have manually entered INS LAT/LONG, I have tried doing neither before aligning, but whatever I do when alignment is complete steerpoint information is not displayed on the HUD and the HSI is dead.

However a stored heading alignment works.

You can verify the INS alignment process I'm following with the track. At this point I've run out of ideas for a normal alignment fix.

[Tholozor]

@supanova I watched your track, and I never saw you press ENT on the ICP for LAT or ever dobber select LNG on the DED for the NORM alignment.

Edited November 16, 2023 by Tholozor

[supanova]

11 hours ago, Tholozor said:

@supanova I watched your track, and I never saw you press ENT on the ICP for LAT or ever dobber select LNG on the DED for the NORM alignment.

 

The track is from when I initially reported the issue. What I posted last was subsequent testing.

[Tholozor]

Do you have an additional track? I only see the one.

[supanova]

Problem solved.

I wasn't aware ED had implemented coordinate alignment, and then I wrongly assumed the coordinates should be entered before alignment.

I would only query whether NAV and RDY should be flashing on a degraded alignment, but that might just relate to modified aircraft.

Kudos to ED. I just need to be in the update loop more.