the file for the augusta 109gmax by alan devins lists an autopilot. i see the flight director on the instrument panel but it doesn't work. is it there just for looks or is it supposed to be a working autopilot. i have been trying to find an ifr bell 222 panel with garmin 530 and working autopilot, but i'm okay slumming it with an augusta if it has these features. i would appreciate any help, i am a pro helo pilot, but am new to the sim world; other than the standard msfs aircraft. thanks for any help out there..

I am not familiar with that particular aircraft model, but you might try posting your question to the Avsim "Helicopter and Rotorhead" forum. Also, there is a dedicated helicopter simulation site at http://www.hovercontrol.com. that may be an even better resource (the helo forum here unfortunately does not get a lot of traffic).In general FS2004 does not support autopilots for helicopters, although apparently some folks have figured a way around that - I recall seeing one or more helo models that have a basic a/p but I have not fiddled with them. Perhaps the A109 has this?The best a/p ever was in a Dauphin model for FS2002; it was a sophisticated bit of software that "sat between" your joystick and FS2002, and in fact required you to disable the normal joystick in FS2002 to work properly. It would follow a flight plan as entered in the (also custom) Trimble GPS unit, and had features such as force trim release that I would assume is in the 222. However, the a/p does not work at all in FS2004 - I sure wish the author would figure out a way to get it working!---Regarding the GNS530 - be advised that the "GPS500" that FS2004 includes is an approximate simulation of a Garmin GNS box. It's nice for casual Direct To and flight plan nav, but it falls down in the way it works for IFR approaches. If you use or plan to use a real GNS box and want to practice IFR procedures at home, then I would recommend purchasing one of the GNS add-ons found at http://www.reality-xp.com, which works virtually 100% as the real unit does. Their current offering is a "530XP" which is essentially an FS2004 "gauge wrapper" around the actual Garmin PC-based GNS training software, and it works marvelously, including full autopilot NAV mode in most fixed-wing FS airplanes (both stock and add-on). They have announced but have not yet released an updated version of this called GNS 530XP 2005, along with a similar GNS 430XP 2005. They are claiming that the 2005 stuff will be less demanding system-wise than the current product, and also things like crossfilling between two units will be supported.cheers,Dave BlevinsPP-SEL/RW

If I remember right, the AP is a window of its own. There should be an extensive readme in the folder in regards to the AP only. I found it confusing at first, but now have moved it to many of my helicopters. Never did get all the buttons to work, but have what I needed.

please excuse my ignorance about these things. i am a professional ifr helo pilot in bell222's and am not very savy to the computer programming tech side of things. i am trying to find an aircraft that approximates what we fly for training; it's great to be able to fly ifr and shoot the actual approaches we use for our area. the best thing i have found so far is a cessna with the reality xp garmin package. it would be better if i could find a helicopter; augusta is the best i have so far, but i would prefer a 222a or 222u. it really needs to have a garmin 530 gps that will interface with the hsi and flight director, and it needs a flight director on the instrument panel. i have the santini 222 aircraft downloaded but it doesn't have the garmin (though it is shown in the picture) and i can't seem to get the flight director to work, can't push any of the buttons or enlarge it in any way. i have used the reality xp garmin 530 with fixed wing, will it work with helos? has anyone already done what i am trying obtain, and if so maybe they could send me the files? any ideas? thanks for all the responses.