DC-6 autopilot

[Vinny002 2]

Hi, guys!

 

I'm new to DC-6. I'm having troubles with the autopilot like when I turn on the gyropilot and the autopilot lever the plane rolls to the right when the gyropilot selector mode is set to pilot, I turned both the gyropilot and the autopilot lever on and then I set the gyropilot selector mode to localizer, the plane rolls to the left, and when I turn on the gyropilot and turn on the autopilot lever, and turn on the altitude control the plane dives down towards the ground. Any solution for this problem? Thanks!

 

Cheers,

Vincent

[signmanbob 592]

Make sure that the aircraft is properly trimmed first so that you can let go of the yoke and it will be stable, then set the giropilot (autopilot) switch on, then the mechanical lever up, then set the pointer knob on top to giropilot.  You should go wings level.

Use the big knob at the top of the pedestal to turn the aircraft until you intercept your radial.  Set the knob on top to "Localizer" and if you have your GPS set to VLOC, your aircraft will follow the radial "TO" or "FROM" the VOR, depending what heading you have set.

[Vinny002 2]

Hi, FSXtreme!

 

Where is the pointer knob located on the pedestal? How to change heading with the autopilot on? I noticed other thing is the captain's gyro compass won't turn when the airplane turn, but the co-pilot's gyro compass turn when the airplane turn. Thanks!

 

Cheers

Vincent

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

Where is the pointer knob located on the pedestal? How to change heading with the autopilot on? I noticed other thing is the captain's gyro compass won't turn when the airplane turn, but the co-pilot's gyro compass turn when the airplane turn. Thanks!

 

Welcome to the forum. Full names - first and last - are required to be in posts.

 

Fly Tutorial #1. It goes over all of the stuff you need to know for the basic operation of the aircraft, to include the AP.

[Vinny002 2]

HI, scandinavian13!

 

Thanks! Got it!

 

Cheers,

Vincent Majerowicz

[Vinny002 2]

Hi, scandinavian13!

 

I've read the tutorial #1. I trimmed the airplane properly, I turned on gyropilot , turned on the autopilot lever, set the pointer knob on the pedestal to pilot, and then I saw the control column move to the right therefore turns the airplane to the right. Thanks!

 

Cheers

Vincent Majerowicz

[JYW 2,980]

Check your WINDSHEAR settings in X-Plane 10's weather settings.  If you use the real weather function in can place some odd (extreme) windshear values into the sim, which can drag even the tightest autopilot off course.   Took me a while to discover this one, and once I did (and removed the excessive windshear setting) I've had no problems.

 

Bill Last

[TheFinn88 13]

Has anyone tried to switch off the autopilot while flying a turn controlled by the autopilot?

 

Because I ran twice into a problem with my hardware-controls (Saitek Yoke). Last flight it happened as followed:

I was on ILS approach for RWY28 at EFJO, CDI was set to VLOC, the localizer was captured. Somehow (I don't know why), at about capturing altitude of the glideslope, the autopilot started to turn right. While being in this right turn, I pressed the AP-disconnect (a button on my yoke programmed to the custom PMDG-command to disconnect the AP) while my yoke was in neutral position (no aileron input). Now my hardware-controls were somehow mismatched with the in-sim position of the control surfaces, so I had to give almost full left aileron input on my yoke to fly straight. And when I turned my yoke back to neutral, the plane returned into the right turn which was last commanded by the AP.

 

I suppose there is a bug, where the control surfaces are not "reset to zero" by disconnecting the AP, so the hardware-axes have a misplaced center. Or is this intended? Maybe it would make sense, if the AP would actually turn my hardware-yoke as in the real plane, but that's not the case. And assuming the correct position of the yoke before hitting the AP-disconnect is a little bit difficult.

 

But I have to say, you did a great job on this one. Sure there are a few things to adress, but all in all I really adore the DC-6. Yesterday for example, I noticed the shaking animation of the cowl-flaps, which looks great! 

 

Matthias Schwab

[Vinny002 2]

Hi, guys!

 

I have no real weather enabled, the wind, wind shear, turbulent sliders all the way to the left. I think I'm having a similar problem what TheFinn88 is having where the airplane rolls to the right when I turn on the gyropilot and set the autopilot lever to the up position. I'm using the logitec attack 3 joystick. Thanks!

 

Cheers

Vincent Majerowicz

[downscc 1,327]

There is a click spot on the upper panel of the pedestal just forward of the AP turn knob, it appears as just a shiny round spot like a hole cover... that click spot ensures that the AP turn is neutralized or centered.

[TheFinn88 13]

Thanks for the hint, will try it out. Also going to do some more testing.

 

Did one more flight yesterday, this time the ILS-approach did work prefectly. But as I hit the AP-disengage button (or "electrical release button", mentioned in the manual on page 91, programmed to a button on my yoke), the AP still had control of the aircraft. The gyro-pilot switch and the mechanical engaging control were visually (in the virtual cockpit) in the OFF position. But when I moved my hardware yoke, not much happened. Just a few degrees of bank were possible before the AP corrected back on course. So the AP was still on in the background.

 

I then turned the gyro-Pilot switch and the mechanical engaging control back on, and then back to OFF with the mouse via virtual cockpit. After this, the AP was off completely. There seems to be a problem with the programmable special command for AP-disconnection provided by PMDG. It moves the switch & engaging control visually to OFF, but the AP remains in ON position in the background.

[Vinny002 2]

Hi, downscc!

 

Thanks for the hint!! I'll try it out!

 

Cheers

Vincent

[Vinny002 2]

Hi, downscc!

 

I turned on the gyropilot, turned on the autopilot lever, and I clicked on the button just above the AP turn knob it is still no-go, and the control column still moves to the right. Any solution to this problem? Thanks!

 

Cheers

Vincent Majerowicz

[scandinavian13 5,192]

Any solution to this problem?

 

Is it just a visual thing, or is the plane actually turning?

[jcomm 5,919]

Are you sure the Stability Augmentation sliders are all set to their leftmost stops in the controllers menu of X-Plane 10.

 

I have had issues with some more sophisticated addons in the past, and although I do not own this dc-6, I wonder if that might be the source of your problem ?