Hey everyone,

 

I cant seem to figure this one out. As the title suggests I cant get the A/P to engage. I have tried all the threads I could find which have said controller issue, checked that, maintenance issue, checked that, FD are both on, route is set LNAV and VNAV set, A/T set. Although I haven't actually tested it in another route but I cant see that that would be the problem. Its a YPAD-YMML. The only different thing is that now I am running FS2crew. Any ideas?

 

Thanks,

If you don't have the aircraft trimmed properly (i.e nose pointing in such a way that speed neither increases or decreases on take-off). The Autopilot will not engage. This happens on the real aircraft however this feature can be turned off in the "Simulation" section of the Aircraft Options menu in the FMS

Yes, I have turned off the realistic autopilot engagement

What height are you trying to arm the auto pilot, and is it being shown in the fma whch you should be going by not the green light on the auto pilot switch

Mike McKenna was here and didn't read properly :( thanks Tom.

He did mention a couple posts up that he has realistic autopilot engagement turned off so holding control pressure shouldn't be the problem. This is a long shot but it has happened in the real plane. Check the stab trip cutout switches just to the right of the start levers. Make sure they are not in the cutout position. I know a guy who flew a plane all the way from DFW to SNA without the autopilot because the switches were in cutout.

Have you tried engaging either autopilot, so both A and B?

I would have the realistic AP engagement on but I just tried it off for this. I have tried both A and B, but I will try your theory, Tom.

After plugging in the route and trying it everything seems fine. I can arm my LNAV, unlike before and I can turn the A/P on unlike before. It seems like the problem is to do with how FS2Crew sets up the aircraft.

Could you try it again, and see if your chosen SID is within 5 degrees of your departure heading? If this is not the case, LNAV will not arm. No idea why the rest wouldn't work though, did you try HDG SEL and LVL CHG and then activate AP A or B?

No idea why the rest wouldn't work though, did you try HDG SEL and LVL CHG and then activate AP A or B?

 

It's not needed. If you engage CMD with no modes selected, HDG SEL and LVL CHG will be engaged automatically.

After plugging in the route and trying it everything seems fine. I can arm my LNAV, unlike before and I can turn the A/P on unlike before. It seems like the problem is to do with how FS2Crew sets up the aircraft.

 

 

No, because all FS2Crew does is send a command via the NGX's SDK to press the button.

 

Most AP issues are the result of the user not having their joystick centered prior to engaging the autopilot.

As far as I can see I am putting in the exact same route for when I try it with and without FS2Crew. I am not saying its faulty software, I am saying I probably don't know how to use it right. My route is:

YPAD

TBD5A Departure runway 05-In line with the runway for a few nm

Direct to NHL

Direct to HSM

Direct to YWE

WENDY.16 (Guessing on this one, not right in front of me) for an ILS into runway 16 YMML

The route is a bit of a pain to do as I can't really find the right airways but I manage, still learning. When I just plugged the route straight in from the default setup and took off, the A/P engaged easily, realistic engagement on. When I start from a cold and dark with FS2Crew I just can't engage the A/P at all. But there is maybe one thing I can think of and thats the IRS. probably due to my own fault because the IRS is the Captains's responsibility for the last couple of setups I have done with FS2Crew one of my IRSs has failed and I have just set both to the left/right. Could that cause the A/P to not engage.

A/P won't engage without both flight directors on either, something else to watch out for.

I have both flight directors engaged as well