I'm confused!

[w4fej 0]

It has to do with the autopilot useage. If I am flying and the autopilot is off what is the point of asking for a heading to be set by the FO?? If the autopilot is on why can't I tell the FO to set a heading?? Seems just backwards to me. AM I missing something??Heading select only works if the autopilot is on??Mike B.

[JET 1 0]

Hi MikeI replied in the other thread where you asked the question :(

[ESzczesniak 128]

It has to do with the autopilot useage. If I am flying and the autopilot is off what is the point of asking for a heading to be set by the FO?? If the autopilot is on why can't I tell the FO to set a heading?? Seems just backwards to me. AM I missing something??Heading select only works if the autopilot is on??Mike B.

Even if the autopilot is off, the entries on the control panel will provide data for the flight directors which give you the two pink bars on the PFD as guidance on how to manually fly the aircraft for the requested profile. However, I'm not sure if you're doing somethin wrong as I can have the FO set the heading whether or not the autopilot is on. Also, heading select is a lateral navigation mode so the aircraft will only respond if the autopilot is on. If it is off, you should see the pink bars of the flight director move but the aircraft will not respond to any control. The appropriate command to set a heading is "Set heading XXX".

[w4fej 0]

Even if the autopilot is off, the entries on the control panel will provide data for the flight directors which give you the two pink bars on the PFD as guidance on how to manually fly the aircraft for the requested profile. However, I'm not sure if you're doing somethin wrong as I can have the FO set the heading whether or not the autopilot is on. Also, heading select is a lateral navigation mode so the aircraft will only respond if the autopilot is on. If it is off, you should see the pink bars of the flight director move but the aircraft will not respond to any control. The appropriate command to set a heading is "Set heading XXX".

That's it, sets up the flight director?? Why are we paying the FO then? I don't need the FD to manually fly a heading. lol.. oh well...Mike B.

[byork 2,258]

That's it, sets up the flight director?? Why are we paying the FO then? I don't need the FD to manually fly a heading. lol.. oh well...Mike B.

Hi Mike,I'm sorry, I don't quite follow the question.In the Maddog verison, you can command the FO to set the autopilot panel regardless of whether the autopilot is on or off.Please see the list of available commands in the manual.Best,

[ESzczesniak 128]

That's it, sets up the flight director?? Why are we paying the FO then? I don't need the FD to manually fly a heading. lol.. oh well...Mike B.

You may not need the FD to fly a manual heading, but when you have 100+ lives in the back of the airplane the logic is that you give yourself as many backups and aids to situational awareness as possible. This is particularly true in high stress/traffic terminal environments where attention split very easily.Also, I suspect you will turn the AP on at some point during the flight. Your FD (and MCP panel) should match what you're doing with the aircraft manually when you flip that switch. Otherwise, you can have a quite sharp control input when the AP kicks in.And did you see the part that there is something wrong if you can't get the FO to set the heading when the AP is on? It works fine for me. Of course, when the AP is flying, there's no reason you couldn't enter the heading as well.

[G550flyer 1,010]

Also, keep in mind that in the aircraft everyone has specific duties. When hand flying(auto pilot off), the pilot not flying will set the flight guidance panel/auto pilot panel, FMS and handle radio calls. This is a safety procedure that lets the pilot flying focus on aircraft control. Imagine trying to hand fly and manage the fms. This can become dangerous. Like the others said, setting the flight guidance panel with the auto pilot off gives you a reference and flight director guidance. This makes your hand flying alot easier instead of trying to remember headings, altitudes etc. Now once the autopilot is turned on, the pilot flying will set the panel and FMS. The pilot not flying will handle the radios unless you are oceanic and the pilot not flying is taking a nap.

[w4fej 0]

Also, keep in mind that in the aircraft everyone has specific duties. When hand flying(auto pilot off), the pilot not flying will set the flight guidance panel/auto pilot panel, FMS and handle radio calls. This is a safety procedure that lets the pilot flying focus on aircraft control. Imagine trying to hand fly and manage the fms. This can become dangerous. Like the others said, setting the flight guidance panel with the auto pilot off gives you a reference and flight director guidance. This makes your hand flying alot easier instead of trying to remember headings, altitudes etc. Now once the autopilot is turned on, the pilot flying will set the panel and FMS. The pilot not flying will handle the radios unless you are oceanic and the pilot not flying is taking a nap.

Everyone completely missed the point of my post, guess I didn't explain my self very well. I know how to fly the aircraft and I have approx 1,000 real world hours in fixed wing and rotorcraft. My point was that the FS2Crew manual made it sound like it was ONLY possible to have the FO set the heading etc when the AP was off. Bryan straightened the misunderstanding out by telling me the FO can and will set those items EVEN if the AP is on or off. I understand fully about cockpit workload.Thanks. Mike B.

[ESzczesniak 128]

I don't know if this is what you were misunderstanding, but the case where the FS2Crew can not set the AP control panel is when the aircraft is on the ground. I assume this has something to do with programming and limitations within FSX/Voice recognition.

[w4fej 0]

I don't know if this is what you were misunderstanding, but the case where the FS2Crew can not set the AP control panel is when the aircraft is on the ground. I assume this has something to do with programming and limitations within FSX/Voice recognition.

Nope. It implied the in the air the FO could only set the heading, airspeed etc when the AP was off. Bryan says you can do it with or without the AP engaged. I wanted the capability to tell the FO to turn to a heading when ATC directed me to and not have to fool with the mouse. The FO could actually HELP me during an approach. Lol..Mike B.

[byork 2,258]

Nope. It implied the in the air the FO could only set the heading, airspeed etc when the AP was off. Bryan says you can do it with or without the AP engaged. I wanted the capability to tell the FO to turn to a heading when ATC directed me to and not have to fool with the mouse. The FO could actually HELP me during an approach. Lol..Mike B.

FS2Crew could if it wanted set the AP on the ground.But I deliberately programmed it so you can't for reasons explained elsewhere.

[G550flyer 1,010]

w4fej, i was responding to this statement "If I am flying and the autopilot is off what is the point of asking for a heading to be set by the FO??" I wasnt trying to talk down to you, only was trying to answer your question while giving you in depth info. Seems FS2Crew were aiming for a realistic operation. I too fly real world just passing 5000 hours jet time combined of C-141, DC-10, G-V and G550.

[w4fej 0]

w4fej, i was responding to this statement "If I am flying and the autopilot is off what is the point of asking for a heading to be set by the FO??" I wasnt trying to talk down to you, only was trying to answer your question while giving you in depth info. Seems FS2Crew were aiming for a realistic operation. I too fly real world just passing 5000 hours jet time combined of C-141, DC-10, G-V and G550.

Good deal. I have about 10 minutes in the left seat of a DC10-30! lol.. A friend of mine in California was a left seater on DC-10's and promised me he would take me on a ferry flight one day. Turns out this particular DC-10 made a milk run daily from PHNL to KSFO . One Wed of each week as soon as the folks were off the plane it would hustle down to LAX for maint. He got the assignment and called me up and said it was a go. All four of use flew up to SFO on a commerical (United I think it was) then waited for the -30 to arrive. When we departed there was nobody else on the plane, the flight crew and me! Wow, what a thrill. I was in the jump seat on take off from SFO with no pax, no cargo and bare minimum fuel. I could not believe the acceleratrion on take off as my buddy gave it a "little" extra gas on take off. I told him later I was really impressed and he told me it had a LOT more left to give but he needed to behave lest the company get wind of it. Lol. Enroute to lax at altitude he let me in the left seat for a bit. I was amazed at how tight the cockpit was. I am sure there is a technique to getting into the seat but I didn't know what it was. lol. I'm 6'2", 235 pounds and I got hung up about 3/4 of the way into the seat! Not pretty. Got in eventually.. On landing at about 1:00am he asked the tower for a change in runways so as to be closer to the maint facility and since no traffic was behinds us he floated way down the runway kicking the rudder back and forth and telling me this thing just loves to keep flying!! Very impressive airplane. What's your position on the DC10?Mike B.

[G550flyer 1,010]

Good deal. I have about 10 minutes in the left seat of a DC10-30! lol.. A friend of mine in California was a left seater on DC-10's and promised me he would take me on a ferry flight one day. Turns out this particular DC-10 made a milk run daily from PHNL to KSFO . One Wed of each week as soon as the folks were off the plane it would hustle down to LAX for maint. He got the assignment and called me up and said it was a go. All four of use flew up to SFO on a commerical (United I think it was) then waited for the -30 to arrive. When we departed there was nobody else on the plane, the flight crew and me! Wow, what a thrill. I was in the jump seat on take off from SFO with no pax, no cargo and bare minimum fuel. I could not believe the acceleratrion on take off as my buddy gave it a "little" extra gas on take off. I told him later I was really impressed and he told me it had a LOT more left to give but he needed to behave lest the company get wind of it. Lol. Enroute to lax at altitude he let me in the left seat for a bit. I was amazed at how tight the cockpit was. I am sure there is a technique to getting into the seat but I didn't know what it was. lol. I'm 6'2", 235 pounds and I got hung up about 3/4 of the way into the seat! Not pretty. Got in eventually.. On landing at about 1:00am he asked the tower for a change in runways so as to be closer to the maint facility and since no traffic was behinds us he floated way down the runway kicking the rudder back and forth and telling me this thing just loves to keep flying!! Very impressive airplane. What's your position on the DC10?I flew left seat for 5 years on the -30. Now days i fly the G-V/550. I do miss flying the 10. It was designed as a jumbo twin, but couldnt maintain altitude with an engine loss over the rockies/water. They added the 3rd engine to the tail as an after thought, so she does have alot of power. Ask your friend has he ever played the " I bet you cant keep V2 + 10" game at light weights. I've seen +35 on the ADI and have seen a video of +45 with about 20k of gas onboard.