So I have a question of autopilot on the NGX fleet.

 

I use autopilot for my flights to help me fly the aircraft but here is the problem I am having. When I park at the gate turn the engines off and switch ground power on right away I noticed that autopilot cant be turned on anymore even if i start the plane again it can't. Am I doing somthing wrong or is that an issue with the aircraft? Also I have used the 800/900 and the 700 series jets. please help!

Hi vidpdx.

Sounds as if you want to reengage while still on ground without setting up the FMC for the next flight... Please be more specific.

Ah ok yes what I did before that was I had autopilot engaged on the runway at KPDX and used it to fly to KSEA. Once I taxied to the gate at KSEA I left autopilot on but shut the engines down and right away turned on ground power and autopilot was alarming that it has turned off since I switched from aircraft power to ground power. Now once I use GSX and get people borded I want to turn on the autopilot switch so I can know before leaving it turns on, but at that point I try and turn it on for my next flight without programming anything into the fmc and once I click the autopilot button to see if it lights up green it wont reengage. This is at the gate with engines off and ground power on.

This won't work as in the fsx Cessna.

The systems of an airliner are massively linked.

Check the manuals on when the A/P can be switched on.

This won't work as in the fsx Cessna.

The systems of an airliner are massively linked.

Check the manuals on when the A/P can be switched on.

To engage to A/P to Command (CMD) or Control Wheel Steering (CWS) on the ground make sure the IRS are aligned and Hydraulic "A" for A/P A and Hydraulic "B" for A/P B are ON. Also make sure the control wheel and column are in the neutral position. But there is no need to engage the A/P on the ground during normal operation.

Hello Vicpdx17

 

First of all: who are you? You must sign with your real full name here, this is the rule as mentioned in the post of Mr. Randazzo.

 

Second, do yourself a favor and start studying and forget about ANY default FSX aircraft as they will waste your time.

 

Third: AP CANNOT be engaged on the ground. The only thing that can be done if you have set the FMC right is to ARM LNAV. Makes perfect sense if you think about it. In the Queen you could also arm VNAV.

 

Hope this helps,

Ionut "John" Micu

You can arm VNAV on ground as well.

Ah all good thoughts I will put them to work and see what I can find out. And actually im off from college right now so im getting my flight sim skills up to speed since I do have the free time before I go back. What I usually do during flight is pretty much the hard way but its a way i know how to do. During flight I will just have autopliot, alt hold and autospeed on and also heading engaged so then I would turn the nob when the aircraft needs to turn, and also when im getting close to landing I would slow the plane down and use a bit of the speedbrake but but most of the times I have actually landed on the runway. But mostly autopilot is a must for me right now since im not that skilled just yet in programming stuff on the NGX but I do love the more realism that it does offer.

 

(Victor Sandoval)

You can arm VNAV on ground as well.

As far as I read in the manual it is possible but not standard procedure? Only switch on VNAV when taken off...

it is possible, but only recently, so it might not be standart "yet" for most operators.

 

Victor: I have absolutely no idea how you manage to have AP on after landing, but you definitely should not. I guess there may lie a bit of what is wrong.

When I do a full automatic landing (ILSIII) including rollout and flare, using both AP A/B, the AP will stay on during landing. However, when turning off the runway onto the taxiway, you got to switch the AP off, otherwise the plane tries to turn back into the middle of the runway again.

 

Question though, is there any way to switch off the A/P without having the alarm sound?

Vicpdx17,

 

As mentioned earlier, you're supposed to use your real name here. Common mistake for the new guys, though.

 

Also, as mentioned earlier, you're not using the default autopilots anymore. Proper use of the plane can be learned through the tutorials. You spent around $100 for a realistic simulation of the 737, so you might as well learn how to use it the way it was designed to be used.

 

You can certainly command modes while on the ground, but it's generally not a best practice to attempt to engage the autopilot on the ground (using CMD A or B).

 

Also, on through flights (flights where you land, and then take the plane back out), you should cycle the flight directors (turn them off while taxiing in and then turn them back on when you're ready to depart).

 

Question though, is there any way to switch off the A/P without having the alarm sound?

 

Technically, no. Autopilot switching without audible warning has caused crashes, so manufacturers started including the noise as part of the disconnect. In order to shut it up, just click the disconnect switch twice.

 

The gist of it is:

1st time - turn it off.

2nd time - prove to the systems it was your intent and not an accident, so it shuts up.

 

Granted, this is only a partial disconnect, but this can be attributed to the annoying alarms of today:

http://en.wikipedia....flot_Flight_593

Just to add - before flight, on ground, you can arm both, lnav and vnav, but only If you have already selected SID in FMC. It can be(and it is)the standard procedure depending on airline.

I personally hand fly up to a few thousand feet above ground, then either switch to HDG SEL and the LNAV and VNAV or straight to LNAV-VNAV depending on my mood or if I want to follow the default (and silly) ATC commands...

 

However as an additional aid I have HDG SEL and VNAV armed before takeoff in order to follow the FD and climb properly while following the correct track.