So I tried hand flying the departure with my newly acquired PMDG. But as I climbed through the 10k I could not engage the AP. Is there something I'm missing for engaging it mid flight?

 

Now I have to admit I did miss one tiny thing on setup. Forgot to set the Trim. While I know this affects VNAV, I was still able to engage VNAV and LNAV successfully. But no AP.

 

I tried doing little adjustments to the trim while climbing, hoping the AP would engage but no joy. Any tips?

 

No failures on. Had stick at neutral and tried many of the other suggestions found on PMDG and AVSIM.

Forgot to set the Trim.

 

If your aircraft is not reasonably in trim, the AP will not take over.

 

 

 

While I know this affects VNAV

 

It doesn't.

 

 

 

I was still able to engage VNAV and LNAV successfully. But no AP.

 

You don't 'engage' VNAV and LNAV - they're armed. The AP can then be engaged to follow the armed modes, which then become active.

 

 

 

Any tips?

 

Do you have a hardware trim axis? Are you sure you configured the aircraft properly?

 

EDIT:

Full names in the forum, please - first and last.

Well I missed setting up trim in the preflight but read on here if you make small adjustments it may correct this.

 

Sorry I used the term engage instead of Arm. They armed.

 

I will check the stick calibration but never had this issue before. I did set up the aircraft properly except the trim as I stated.

 

I will try re-calibration.

 

Thanks

 

Jason Weaver

Is the FD reasonably centred when you attempt to engage the AP? If memory serves, there are limits on capture angles etc.

 

Plan B is to follow the tutorial flight again, and note any discrepancies between what you are doing and what the manual says should be happening.

 

 

Thanks

Jason Weaver

 

Thanks. Let us know.

 

...and love the avatar image.

Yeah Paul I even tried when I reached cruising altitude where the FD is pretty much completely centered. 

 

It worked the first flight when I set the Trim correctly in preflight.  Just curious if hand flying departures would be an issue.  Might have to turn off the realistic AP engagement mode in the FMC.   

 

 

It worked the first flight when I set the Trim correctly in preflight.  Just curious if hand flying departures would be an issue.  Might have to turn off the realistic AP engagement mode in the FMC.   

 

Hand flying departures is definitely not an issue - I do that often.

 

Have you flown the tutorials?