Unable to arm autopilot

[Jimmytime]

I've found sometimes I am unable to arm the auto pilot with the switches under the throttle. I click the left one and it goes straight to the off position. I had once put the HUD in NAV mode I was able to switch it on, other times not.

 

I think I might be missing something in my startup procedure or turning something on at the wrong time. Any suggestions as to what may need to be switched on or what I missed?

 

Thanks,

Jimmytime

[wriley]

I think if SAS is turned off it will cause this. There are probably other things on which the autopilot relies.

[LankNZ]

You gotta let your Nav system finish aligning before you switch it to NAV mode and turn on the EAC.

 

Look for T=4.0 0.8 and above INS NAV READY is flashing.

[Helios]

I believe you will find the answer in this thread:

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=72853

 

If you find the ground INS alignment takes too long, it is also possible to do an in-flight alignment, when GPS is available. After reading about that in some other threads I started mostly doing this to avoid the waiting time, which seems to work just fine - as also reported by others on the forum.

 

To initiate in-flight alignment, on the CDU screen just click the OSB between 'ground and 'nav' (think it's called "in-flight" but don't remember exactly). You can taxi etc. while the aircraft is aligning, and you get the same blinking indicator when alignment is complete - after which you should hit the "nav" OSB.

[rob10]

The other thing is if you are trying to put it into ALT/HDG mode you need to be fairly near level flight to get it to activate (i.e. you can't be significantly climbing or diving).

[bloomstomb]

I've found sometimes I am unable to arm the auto pilot with the switches under the throttle. I click the left one and it goes straight to the off position. I had once put the HUD in NAV mode I was able to switch it on, other times not.

 

I think I might be missing something in my startup procedure or turning something on at the wrong time. Any suggestions as to what may need to be switched on or what I missed?

 

Thanks,

Jimmytime

 

 

Im sure someone already responded, but you need to let cdu load, inflight or ground (4.0.0.8)

[MTFDarkEagle]

Look for T=4.0 0.8 and above INS NAV READY is flashing.

 

Im sure someone already responded

Yep :)

[hassata]

I don't understand the 'takes too long' view. There's more than enough to do in the meantime (setting up profiles etc.), and if you're rearing to go, just hit the Time Acceleration button a few times.

[Sinky]

I don't understand the 'takes too long' view. There's more than enough to do in the meantime (setting up profiles etc.), and if you're rearing to go, just hit the Time Acceleration button a few times.

 

Me neither. I usually move onto setting up my CMS profiles, TAD display settings and DSMS profiles. If I remember correctly it took twice as long to align in the F16.

[kungfoo]

One good trick is also to turn on ground power, so you can fire up the EGI and the CDU way before even touching the APU or the engines. That way, I end up with the CDU at something like 2.4 by the time I'm done with the startup and BITing all stuff. I then proceed to do the profiles, and by that time it's usually through. You could also take off, and put it in INFLGHT alignment mode, though I do not know, how much less precise it will be and what it affects. I guess it also affect JDAMs and any other PGM...

[Jimmytime]

Thanks to all, I was rushing the alignment. I don't see the switch for ground power on the power panel. How does one turn that on?

[MTFDarkEagle]

It's turned on automatically (unlike the Ka-50). Ground power really isn't needed for startup, but more for maintanance/testing.

[shagrat]

Thanks to all, I was rushing the alignment. I don't see the switch for ground power on the power panel. How does one turn that on?

No switch! Comms Menu "Ground Crew" - "Ground Power" - "On" :smartass: