Still fighting the A/P

[hangar 661]

just got back a couple hours ago...much longer day than expected (finding a descent sofa these days with all the damn chain stores is much more difficult than it used to be).

 

I thought I'd test the a/p ability to hold alt to see if im having same issue as you guys are having...this is what I've found:

 

The a/p tends to porpoise back and forth +/-20 feet on either side of the selected altitude after using the a/p for the climb or descent...the porpoising rate is +/-500 feet per minute.

 

In my particular case this did not begin happening until I initiated a HDG turn...it was the turning motion that caused the a/p's inability to hold the steady altitude and even after getting back to flying straight again the a/p seems unable to regain a stable altitude.

 

One other thing I've noticed is that when using IAS for my initial climb, the a/p missed the altitude capture by about 120 feet...this happened because it started arresting it's ascent rate too late. When I then initiated a 2nd step climb a few thousand feet higher, and again using IAS mode...this time (as well as every time after) it DID successfully capture at the right altitude.

 

This is all while using Active Sky Next for real weather btw. Winds aloft at the time were ranging from 25-35kts.

[MBaclawski 11]

Glad to see I'm not going crazy ;-)  and Believe me I feel your pain having to go Sofa hunting Today.  I'm experiencing the same issues, I'm really having a problem

because i use a  trim wheel so when i dial up and down for VS if i don't go to neutral it throws me way off. I have since reverted back to V 1.5 (using the good sound)

of course  and the ALT capture holds steady.  IAS does over shoot but if the steps are closer together it seems to capture ok.

[mjrhealth 820]

In the aicraft.cgf  under autopilot, the default rate is 800 fpm, set this to zero it should make that problem go away but it also means you will have to set the climb rate/

[Lmaire 38]

In the aicraft.cgf  under autopilot, the default rate is 800 fpm, set this to zero it should make that problem go away but it also means you will have to set the climb rate/

Do you mean this line? pitch_takeoff_ga=8.0. I can't find a line containing 800? Thanks

[hangar 661]

mjr was mistaken...he is referring to the line under autopilot section that says "default_vertical_speed", however it is already set to zero by default.

[Lmaire 38]

mjr was mistaken...he is referring to the line under autopilot section that says "default_vertical_speed", however it is already set to zero by default.

Thank you Dave.

[hangar 661]

After a few subsequent flights I've also noticed that the IAS mode does not always work, even though it's green (on). Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't. Same for the APP mode, even if it shows green (captured) the g/s isn't really captured...again, sometimes it works fine other times it doesn't work at all. Not sure why.

 

I do know that that you need to capture it from below the g/s so that is not the issue I'm seeing.

[louisdecoolste 12]

I'm also seeing the porpoising on alt capture and hold with 1.6a. And the wing levelling is not what I expect from a high wing loaded, high wing twin. One  of the Moos best traits is gust stability. Add any significant crosswind to 1.6a and she's dancing about gangnam style. Even at high speed and altitude. 

 

Incidentally, the elevator trim tab also now adopts a rather strange position in external view. Someone messed with the elevator trim variables? That never goes well with a/p behavior as the trims drive the a/p in FSX and P3D. Wrongly, but they do.

[hangar 661]

Well...I'm still having trouble getting the IAS mode to capture without going over by at least 80 feet or so....so that still needs looking into. But, I've been having better luck holding an altitude by remembering to switch to ALT mode once the alt captures.

[MBaclawski 11]

Yup same problems here, at first it was kinda fun to quasi beta test this project but now it's just annoying. The last word I received from the developers was that "Everything is spot on" and suggest you use the latest version. No sense in testing and reporting if there not going to listen. O well I took a chance lesson learned.