PC-12 Version 2 Update

[Ralvarez232 15]

Bert, excellent works and contribution like always! I PM you with my email address. Thanks!

Roberto

[JYW 2,977]

Got to say, with the GTN750 and Bert's latest care package, this aircraft is FANTASTIC!  I absolutely love it.

So good having Bert's fixes back in the aircraft; especially for things like cancelling IAS mode at the top of climb, and the double click sound issue.   Just tidies it all up nicely.

Still not sure about the engine sounds.  Doesn't sound like many other PT6-engined addons (doesn't really sound like a TP at all!).  But perhaps this is a more realistic reflection of the PT6 sounds in the cockpit?   To be fair, most PT6 internal sounds in addons sound more like external PT6 sounds, at a lower volume.

So maybe CAR got it right?   But they're not hugely satisfying sounds..... I might try popping the sound folder from the CAR Meridian in there, to see how that sounds.

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

BTW, for all you GTN750 users, make sure you set

Airplane=3

in the F1GTN.ini file for this airplane, to get a suitable

airplane symbol on the GTN screen

[Jason_Peters 16]

15 hours ago, softreset said:

Bert - Did you add the YD on AP engagement? I like it.

 I noticed this as well, very nice.  However, I also noticed I'm now not able to select the just the Yaw Damper, the Autopilot must be on as well. Anyone else? Minor side effect...

Really appreciate your work Bert!

[MartinRex007 390]

Not uncommon for the autopilot and yaw damper to engage and disengage as one in a number of real planes, not sure if that is true with the PC-12 but not unusual.

Martin

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

1 hour ago, Jason_Peters said:

 I noticed this as well, very nice.  However, I also noticed I'm now not able to select the just the Yaw Damper, the Autopilot must be on as well. Anyone else? Minor side effect...

Really appreciate your work Bert!

I do believe I may have caused that... I am frustrated by airplanes where I turn off the autopilot on final and find that I have no rudder control because the YD is still on.  In the real airplane this may be accurate behavior... but I force the YD off if the autopilot is not engaged..

[JYW 2,977]

In the real airplane the YD can indeed be turned on independently (and SOP is usually to activate it once the aircraft is cleaned up on climbout).  But it will always turn off with the AP. 

Personally I would rather have it turning off, as per Bert's configuration, than have it remain on when the AP is disengaged.

[Jason_Peters 16]

1 hour ago, MartinRex007 said:

Not uncommon for the autopilot and yaw damper to engage and disengage as one in a number of real planes, not sure if that is true with the PC-12 but not unusual.

Martin

Martin,

You are correct. It is common in many newer aircraft for the yaw damper to engage automatically when selecting the autopilot prior to the yaw damper. This is a convenience feature, as use of the autopilot also requires the yaw damper.  However, the Yaw Damper should also be able to to be engaged completely separate from the autopilot. 

For example, the PC-12 Pilots Information Manual (Located freely here via Google: http://www.pilatus-aircraft.com/00-def/main/scripts/ckfinder/userfiles/files/CustomerSupport-Publications/PIM_02211_R10.pdf) describes the operation of the yaw damper as follows:  

"YD: Alternately engages and disengages the Yaw Damper and rudder trim relief independent of the autopilots pitch and roll axes"

It also describes operation of the AP button:

"AP: Alternately engages and disengages the autopilot. Yaw Damp is automatically activated when the autopilot is engaged, however, Yaw Damp remains engaged if AP is pressed again."

So in this instance the yaw damper should be able to be selected independent of the autopilot, and remain engaged when turning off the autopilot until turned off with the YD button.

The autopilot disconnect on the yoke is different however:

"Mounted on each outboard control wheel horn is the Autopilot Disconnect switch. When momentarily pressed, it disengages the autopilot and yaw damper and cancels all operating Flight Director modes. A tone will sound upon successful autopilot disconnect. Automatic pitch trim function is inhibited and the second pitch trim motor reverts to alternate pitch trim function."

In this instance, pressing the disconnect button disconnects both the AP and YD.

28 minutes ago, Bert Pieke said:

I do believe I may have caused that... I am frustrated by airplanes where I turn off the autopilot on final and find that I have no rudder control because the YD is still on.  In the real airplane this may be accurate behavior... but I force the YD off if the autopilot is not engaged..

Bert,

Agreed, I hate that as well, very frustrating in a strong crosswind. That said, is there a way to achieve proper operation? i.e. It works when it's on (AP on or off), and off when you turn it off.  Again, I really appreciate the expertise you put into making these edits. As a Flight Engineer I know my way around airplanes.. xml.. not so much!

[Jason_Peters 16]

13 minutes ago, JYW said:

But it will always turn off with the AP. 

See my post above, that's only true if you use the autopilot disconnect button on the yoke.  If you press the AP button on the panel, the YD should remain engaged.  

I do agree though, if it can't be made to work correctly, I'd rather be able to use the rudder after disconnecting the autopilot.

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

The autopilot in FSX is typically tied to the "Z" key, and the same "Z" key is mapped to my Yoke button.

To create a different action, depending on whether the AP button is pushed on the autopilot controller or whether I push the Yoke button, is tricky..  I took the easy route.

Edit:

I have now added a new variable that will hopefully keep track of this and do what you asked for.

 

[Jason_Peters 16]

5 minutes ago, Bert Pieke said:

The autopilot in FSX is typically tied to the "Z" key, and the same "Z" key is mapped to my Yoke button.

To create a different action, depending on whether the AP button is pushed on the autopilot controller

or whether I push the Yoke button, is really tricky..  I took the easy route:

<!-- Turn off YD -->

  (A:Autopilot Master,bool) ! (A:AUTOPILOT YAW DAMPER,bool) and if{ (>K:YAW_DAMPER_TOGGLE) }

This is in the CustomPC12 folder,  AS and YD.xml file.

Just remove that line... and the YD stays on when the autopilot is disconnected.

Bert,

Understood, these are your mods and I really appreciate you sharing them with all of us.  I keep saying I'm gonna learn to understand xml... the stuff is mostly unreadable to me.

Thanks for the hint on the line to edit... I may give that a whirl if it continues to bug me. You did raise a valid point about the yaw damper staying on though. I remember it was common to a bunch of Carenado aircraft in the past for the yaw damper to remain on in the background even though it indicated off, frustrating indeed.  

[Boeing or not going 578]

Does Autogyro's engine mods still work with v2?

[Jason_Peters 16]

For those who are using FSUIPC and want tthe AP & YD logic to work correctly I may have found a solution that works! Works great on my machine, just did a bunch of touch & go's turning the AP & YD off every which way I could think of!

However, you'll need to edit the ASandYD.xml file located in the CustomPC12 folder Bert provided, and you'll also need FSUIPC to assign buttons.

Since it requires editing the work Bert graciously provides, I'll withhold sharing specifics till I get the go-ahead or Bert can just add the instructions to the next version of his Mod package. 

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

35 minutes ago, Jason_Peters said:

For those who are using FSUIPC and want tthe AP & YD logic to work correctly I may have found a solution that works! Works great on my machine, just did a bunch of touch & go's turning the AP & YD off every which way I could think of!

However, you'll need to edit the ASandYD.xml file located in the CustomPC12 folder Bert provided, and you'll also need FSUIPC to assign buttons.

Since it requires editing the work Bert graciously provides, I'll withhold sharing specifics till I get the go-ahead or Bert can just add the instructions to the next version of his Mod package. 

Go for it.. we are all sharing..

[Jason_Peters 16]

37 minutes ago, Bert Pieke said:

Go for it.. we are all sharing..

Thanks Bert!

Okay folks, accomplishing the below will make your AP & YD engage and disengage logic work as Pilatus intended. You'll need to perform a basic edit, and be familiar with FSUIPC.

To make the autopilot panel function as described:

Backup the original file in case you wish to return to the previous config!!

Edit the ASandYD.xml file located in the CustomPC12 folder Bert provided. Remove entirely the code pertaining to the yaw damper. Be sure to leave the section for the anti-skid fix!. 

Now to map the AP disconnect button:

Using FSUIPC's button & switches menu, map your disconnect button. You may make it "profile specific" i.e. specific to the PC-12 if you desire, I did. 

• -select the correct button on your yoke or joystick
• -Check the box "select for fs control" 
• -The control sent when button pressed: "Autopilot off" parameter "0" 
• -The control sent when button released: "Yaw Damper off" parameter "0"

Works like a champ. The AP control panel works as described in the manual and the AP disconnect on the yoke turns off both the AP & YD.