Tinmouse1.25 - Autopilot

[kgamaggio 0]

Having installed the new version, I'm having some issues with the AP.When Aileron channel is disengaged, the wings are held level - pretty much the behavior when you engage the channel without HDG select enabled. The Elevator channel is a real issue. Trimming the mouse at at 2000ft/min climb and engaging the elevator channel to maintain that attitude, she'll bring the nose down and go into dive.I'm familiar with the operation of the AP from previous hundreds of hours on the bird.Bob, any thoughts/recommendations?Thanks,Kris

[Bob Scott 7,715]

Having installed the new version, I'm having some issues with the AP.When Aileron channel is disengaged, the wings are held level - pretty much the behavior when you engage the channel without HDG select enabled. The Elevator channel is a real issue. Trimming the mouse at at 2000ft/min climb and engaging the elevator channel to maintain that attitude, she'll bring the nose down and go into dive.I'm familiar with the operation of the AP from previous hundreds of hours on the bird.Bob, any thoughts/recommendations?Thanks,Kris

Kris; The elevator issue sounds like a non-centered joystick axis. You can watch the joystick elevator axis by going to the logging tab in FSUIPC, and enter offset 3328, select "S16" for the type in the drop down box next to it, and check the "Use ADVDISPLAY" box in the lower right quad of the FSUIPC dialog box. If the value strays from 0 with the joystick centered, even just a bit, it will make a steadily-accumulating input to the A/P.I'm at a bit of a loss on the aileron channel. What kind of joystick/yoke do you use, and how do you calibrate it? I've tested things using a couple USB joysticks and my PFC yoke, and can't duplicate behavior anything like that.RegardsBob ScottColonel, USAF (ret)ATP IMEL Gulfstream II-III-IV-VColorado Springs, CO

[kgamaggio 0]

Bob,thanks for the quick reply.I have the PFC yoke - still as a game controller version which I bought almost 10 years ago - hooked to a USB converter. I calibrate normal via the windows utility and all inputs to FS are via FSUIPC. I have a decent null zone defined for both Aileron and Elevator and all my aircraft are nicely stable when properly trimmed out - I like to handfly a lot.I'll try the logging thing and report.On the aileron channel I'm as puzzled as you, since I went back to my good ole v1.23 tinmouse and there everything works as expected - both aileron and elevator channels.Cheers,Kris Gamaggio

[Bob Scott 7,715]

Bob,thanks for the quick reply.I have the PFC yoke - still as a game controller version which I bought almost 10 years ago - hooked to a USB converter. I calibrate normal via the windows utility and all inputs to FS are via FSUIPC. I have a decent null zone defined for both Aileron and Elevator and all my aircraft are nicely stable when properly trimmed out - I like to handfly a lot.I'll try the logging thing and report.On the aileron channel I'm as puzzled as you, since I went back to my good ole v1.23 tinmouse and there everything works as expected - both aileron and elevator channels.Cheers,Kris Gamaggio

Kris; An important point is that this may not be a null zone issue. When the PFC's pots go bad (I've replaced a number of mine since I got mine in 2002) they tend to spike when the wiper passes the bad spot on the resistive element...and a fair number of mine went bad near zero, which makes sense since that's where the wiper is making contact most of the time. In most other panels, on autopilot this makes no difference since the joystick input is blocked or disregarded, and when handflying, the minor excursions don't have enough duration to make a lasting effect on the attitude. But on the Sperry 77, every joystick input accumulates, so a controller spiking momentarily to nonzero values will cause fits. On the aileron channel, the only real change I made was to eliminate the centering requirement to engage the A/P paddles. Can you give me some detail on the FSUIPC configuration you're using?RegardsBob ScottColonel, USAF (ret)ATP IMEL Gulfstream II-III-IV-VColorado Springs, CO

[kgamaggio 0]

Bob,progress has been made.I reinstalled the mouse from scratch. Aileron channel issue is solved. Works now - must have been Gremlins of some sort.On the Elevators, I checked using the logging thing - nice feature, something new learned!The value remained off from Zero. By quickly going to the Axis alignment menu I saw that the value corresponds with the IN value (OUT was showing 0 since I was in the Null zone).So, thought to try adding the Filter checkmark and voil

[Bob Scott 7,715]

Bob,progress has been made.I reinstalled the mouse from scratch. Aileron channel issue is solved. Works now - must have been Gremlins of some sort.On the Elevators, I checked using the logging thing - nice feature, something new learned!The value remained off from Zero. By quickly going to the Axis alignment menu I saw that the value corresponds with the IN value (OUT was showing 0 since I was in the Null zone).So, thought to try adding the Filter checkmark and voil

[kgamaggio 0]

Bob,thanks again for your support.Version 1.25 is great!The 'mouse has always been one of my favorites. But the addiction factor has significantly increased :( Not many aircraft behave so true when it comes to flying "to the book" (manuals freely available on the web these days...) and with "true" pitch and power behavior.If you'd ask me for development priorities, skip the Sperry 177 development and focus on failures implementation :( Kind regards,

[strider 0]

I second that! Don't need no stinkin' 177 :(