208 Altitude autopilot

[desbean 357]

1 hour ago, swk1959 said:

It must differ from machine to machine I guess, it had worked for me when I first bought it but seems broken now, trying all the Ga's I have in the deluxe version to see which one's are affected for me, so far just the 208.

 

It worked for me also before patches, I think it was the last one that broke it for me.

[fppilot 4,381]

3 hours ago, vgbaron said:

I haven't had that problem. I set the desired alt. I set the vspeed and enable VS. I set the FD. I set the proper NAV mode. Then after take off, I trim to get close to my rate of climb and then engage the AP.  It just continues the climb and engages ALT hold at correct level

The tip is to stay clear of the Alt key.  Set the desired altitude.  Engage AP.  Use FLC to set forward speed for the climb. It will climb at that forward speed and acquire the preset altitude. You can also use VS and set climb rate, but FLC is normally used to climb to a preset altitude, and VS normally used for descent to a preset altitude. 

No need to touch Alt.

Edited October 7, 2020 by fppilot

[desbean 357]

1 hour ago, fppilot said:

The tip is to stay clear of the Alt key.  Set the desired altitude.  Engage AP.  Use FLC to set forward speed for the climb. It will climb at that forward speed and acquire the preset altitude. You can also use VS and set climb rate, but FLC is normally used to climb to a preset altitude, and VS normally used for descent to a preset altitude. 

No need to touch Alt.

Just started at runway with engine running etc. Selected FLC, set the altitude for 5,000', and climb for 80 knots, sync heading to runway heading and set, took off and at about 80 knots turned AP on. AC kept accelerating to about 115 knots, pitching up and down, but never up enough to reach 80 knots. At nearly 5,000' AP automatically switched from FLC to Alt, but kept climbing. Never touched the Alt key. I'm beginning to think it's the G1000, because I just tried the same thing in the C172 G1000 and had no luck with FLC Alt or VS. Switched to the C172 steam to get altitude set, then switched back to the G1000. Was then able to use Alt and VS with no problems. I guess next thing I'll try is turning the avionics off then back on before setting anything on AP.

Edited October 8, 2020 by desbean

[fppilot 4,381]

56 minutes ago, desbean said:

ust started at runway with engine running etc. Selected FLC, set the altitude for 5,000'

Why are you engaging FLC when still on the ground?  When in MFS I mess around with the AP when on the ground I have had some really strange behavior after departure.  I learned to preset a desired altitude and to tune the heading bug to my departure runway heading, and nothing else.  Neither of those at that point are AP functions.  With that practice I have not had the reported issues.  I have no real time in any aircraft with a G1000 so how I am proceeding is based solely on this sim. After departure and climb to 1,000 or above, I activate the AP, select HDG.  I continue my climb out, adjust power to recommended settings.  Then I activate FLC mode and adjust my speed.  Varies by aircraft.  That is it.  The AP climbs to the preset altitude and levels off.  This in the 172, DA62, and Baron G58.

I have some considerable time in the 172, the DA62, and the B58G.  If I have the opportunity tomorrow I will take a "familiarization" flight in the 208 and report back.  I do a winter excursion each year from the USA Midwest to the Caribbean islands, and a Caravan has always been my choice for the month-long circuit out of KFMY as I island hop.  Those excursions in FSX.  So I am of course highly interested in the MFS 208's viability in IFR conditions and on long flight segments.  Just it is a few months to February so I have not flown the 208 yet.

Edited October 8, 2020 by fppilot

[Glenn Fitzpatrick 3,798]

Random thought, but what happens if you spawn in the air rather than on the ground.

[desbean 357]

I think it should be possible in the G1000 to setup FLC speed/alt, and select it prior to takeoff, then turn on AP after takeoff and have it follow, but it doesn't work for me. I have watched tutorials where it is done successfully this way. But I have figured out that if I don't touch anything AP related prior to takeoff, then once in air turn on AP, then turn on FLC, and then setup FLC parameters, it will work. Well, it worked in the 172 G1000 anyway, will try in the 208 later.

[swk1959 21]

6 minutes ago, desbean said:

I think it should be possible in the G1000 to setup FLC speed/alt, and select it prior to takeoff, then turn on AP after takeoff and have it follow, but it doesn't work for me. I have watched tutorials where it is done successfully this way. But I have figured out that if I don't touch anything AP related prior to takeoff, then once in air turn on AP, then turn on FLC, and then setup FLC parameters, it will work. Well, it worked in the 172 G1000 anyway, will try in the 208 later.

I am only at this point experiencing the issue with the 208. I have test the 172 steam and G1000, B58, Mooney Bravo so far and all work as expected, I will try them all but so far my only issue is with the 208. 

[fppilot 4,381]

2 hours ago, swk1959 said:

I am only at this point experiencing the issue with the 208. I have test the 172 steam and G1000, B58, Mooney Bravo so far and all work as expected, I will try them all but so far my only issue is with the 208. 

OK. So I completed a flight from Ft Myers (KFMY) to Lakeland (KLAL) in the 208.  My first 208 flight.  Enjoyable.  I set a cruise altitude of 5,000 while on the ground and an initial heading 0f 230° for off the runway.  Did not touch any AP functions.

At 1,500 ft on climb out I activated the AP, selected HDG.  Then I selected FLC mode to On and used the wheel to set a climb speed of 105 knots.  The 208 climbed at 105 knots and captured the 5,000 setting without an issue, enunciating the capture when passing through 4,800 ft.  On into the flight I adjusted my altitude setting to 4,000 ft and used VS mode to descend at 500 fpm.  The 208 captured it nicely, enunciating the capture passing through 4,200.  Climbed to 5,000 again with FLC mode.  Then when approaching Lakeland used VS mode to descend and capture 2,700 ft.  All functioned as designed.

The only issues I found were some unusual porpoising at the start of each altitude change, eventually settling down into a smooth transition.  Also experienced the porpoising when retracting and later extending flaps.  Then the G1000 did not capture the GS so I set my own descent to landing.

Edited October 8, 2020 by fppilot

[desbean 357]

7 hours ago, desbean said:

.....But I have figured out that if I don't touch anything AP related prior to takeoff, then once in air turn on AP, then turn on FLC, and then setup FLC parameters, it will work. Well, it worked in the 172 G1000 anyway, will try in the 208 later.

Nope, what worked in the C172 G1000 didn't work in the C208. Nothing vertical works on AP. Not pitch, altitude, VS, or FLC, unless I start out in the C172 steam then switch over to the Caravan. Getting a new system in a couple of weeks, so maybe that install will have a working Caravan.

[swk1959 21]

43 minutes ago, desbean said:

Nope, what worked in the C172 G1000 didn't work in the C208. Nothing vertical works on AP. Not pitch, altitude, VS, or FLC, unless I start out in the C172 steam then switch over to the Caravan. Getting a new system in a couple of weeks, so maybe that install will have a working Caravan.

my system is new, I think this is a glitch that doesn't effect every sim or install, I have tried everything, every tip to the letter, only the 208 refuses to level off with the autopilot. It is clearly a bug that doesn't effect all systems but does some.