I thought planes rocking and rolling around a bit before settling into your AP commands was how MSFS worked. But just now (finally) got a Logitech/Saitec multipanel (current $100 at sold by shipped by Amazon, USA). Now the Asobo planes planes glide around effortlessly in response to my AP button pushing). Wow does simconnect work great or what?! (I'm using Spad/Next instead of the Logitec drivers by the way).

Topic was supposed to be a question, but did not have room for the interrogative, LOL.

3 minutes ago, Fielder said:

I thought planes rocking and rolling around a bit before settling into your AP commands was how MSFS worked. But just now (finally) got a Logitech/Saitec multipanel (current $100 at sold by shipped by Amazon, USA). Now the Asobo planes planes glide around effortlessly in response to my AP button pushing). Wow does simconnect work great or what?! (I'm using Spad/Next instead of the Logitec drivers by the way).

I am successfully flying with a Honeycomb Bravo with great satisfaction.  My Saitek Multipanel served me well for a few years and is currently listed at eBay.

SPAD is the secret sauce - its really good - when I had multi panels it was the must have software to make them work great 

Right after MSFS came out of the closet, all these controllers were unobtainable at decent prices. Prices have landed again, seems like. 

I dont get the point. What do you want to say?

"Why Logitech AP work much better than MSFS default planes"

a) Logitech has no Autopilot, its an Hardware Supplier.

b) If you talk about the Logitech G Flight Panels, then again, its a piece of hardware, it is not an aircraft which could be compared to the MSFS default planes.

c) If you control the (MSFS default) aircrafts autopilot with the Logitech Panels, then why should it be working better with the Panel, compared to clicking the AP functions in the virtual cockpit? "Working better" means for me, you can do things, that wont work in the virtual cockpit. Or do you simply mean, its easier to handle? or easy to install?

🤔

Edited August 19, 20214 yr by Paladin2005

2 hours ago, Paladin2005 said:

I dont get the point. What do you want to say?

"Why Logitech AP work much better than MSFS default planes"

a) Logitech has no Autopilot, its an Hardware Supplier.

b) If you talk about the Logitech G Flight Panels, then again, its a piece of hardware, it is not an aircraft which could be compared to the MSFS default planes.

c) If you control the (MSFS default) aircrafts autopilot with the Logitech Panels, then why should it be working better with the Panel, compared to clicking the AP functions in the virtual cockpit? "Working better" means for me, you can do things, that wont work in the virtual cockpit. Or do you simply mean, its easier to handle? or easy to install?

🤔

Whilst on the surface, I'm inclined to agree with you (that a hardware controller would not affect internal AP variables).... it's worth bearing in mind that the control manipulation of button presses in Asobos default aircraft has been buggy.  For example, upon landing, pressing the virtual FD key in the cockpit of the C172 rarely turns off the Flight Director on the first press for me.   After three or four more presses the FD will finally switch off.  Yet when I use a hardware button that I have assigned to the FD function via Simconnect, it tends to turn off first time (not always!).

Asobo have built clickspots into their virtual cockpits.  Now, anyone who has spent a lot of time with FSUIPC or any other utility that accesses the total stack of FS variables will know there are dozens of similar (and sometimes duplicate) commands.  

Eg.

AP_Heading_Set

AP_Heading_Select

AP_PANEL_HEADING

etc, etc.

If Asobo have linked a VC clickspot function to a less than perfect FS variable - versus a hardware unit using something like SPAD (or Lorby AAO as I use and prefer), to access a better suited variable, then it's feasible that use of the hardware unit could result in a better experience.

Case in point:-

I use a keyboard shortcut for the MSFS command "AP FLIGHT LEVEL CHANGE".    But whilst use of this shortcut (on it's own) does activate FLC mode on the autopilots, it sets the reference speed to '0' which results in the plane pitching up, aiming for 0kts airspeed!

I then discovered that if I do a double assignment - assigning the same key, to both of these commands:-

- AP FLIGHT LEVEL CHANGE

- AP AIRSPEED HOLD

.......this will (correctly) activate FLC on the autopilot, at the given airspeed of the time it was pressed.  Et voila!

(This happens because, whilst the first command - which is a new MSFS command that was not in the ESP sims - activated FLC mode, it doesn't set the ref speed to the current speed.   The seconds command above, is actually an autothrottle mode (not relevent to FLC)... however, use of that mode does reset the reference speed to the current speed.

Conclusion:

When you click a button in the VC, you rely on Asobo to have bound that clickspot to the precisely correct sim variable (of which there are hundreds, including many similar and duplicates).  When you use hardware, with a program like SPAD or Lorby AAO, you set that variable yourself and therefore can see different results.

I don't envy the guy who's task it was to make the MSFS cockpit knobs and switches easy to use with a mouse. Nobody could succeed wonderfully at such as task.

But using a dedicated panel, i.e. the Logitech switch panel, I think my cat could control a plane if it helped her catch a mouse. It's all so intuitive and simple, you don't need reading glasses or to move a mouse pointer an eighth of inch to get from the inner dial to the outer.

There are user profiles already ready to download at Spad to have instant fast or slow altitude change numbers, etc. When Vatsim requires a new FL, you can get it entered in the AP fast or slowly by just flipping the flaps button up or down, which is like changing gears on the - + settings dial. If you program for that to happen when the main switch is in the ALT position. Programming is very intuitive UI, and yet very deep.

BTW, the default Spad Next pitch trim is continuous it spends 360 degrees and keeps right on spinning. It is set up by Spad to have a tiny incremental effect, or you could reprogram it to selectively speed it up when you want it to be that way by moving a switch or pressing a button on the panel. You can make the AP dance to your tune.

There are seven orange buttons, backlit. You can have some or all of them flash a blinking warning if certain conditions are met. You set the conditions for the warning out of dozens to choose from.

You can easily program the altitude entered to NEVER go below a certain number above ground level, if you want to. Or for a certain designated plane (or planes), to never enter an altitude above a certain flight level.

You can only do these kinds of things, if you use Logitech panels with Spad. I have not downloaded the logitech drivers, and don't plan to do so. I'm hiding from them !

21 minutes ago, Fielder said:

But using a dedicated panel, i.e. the Logitech switch panel

I believe you are referring to the Saitek "Multipanel".

1 hour ago, Fielder said:

I don't envy the guy who's task it was to make the MSFS cockpit knobs and switches easy to use with a mouse. Nobody could succeed wonderfully at such as task.

But using a dedicated panel, i.e. the Logitech switch panel, I think my cat could control a plane if it helped her catch a mouse. It's all so intuitive and simple, you don't need reading glasses or to move a mouse pointer an eighth of inch to get from the inner dial to the outer.

There are user profiles already ready to download at Spad to have instant fast or slow altitude change numbers, etc. When Vatsim requires a new FL, you can get it entered in the AP fast or slowly by just flipping the flaps button up or down, which is like changing gears on the - + settings dial. If you program for that to happen when the main switch is in the ALT position. Programming is very intuitive UI, and yet very deep.

BTW, the default Spad Next pitch trim is continuous it spends 360 degrees and keeps right on spinning. It is set up by Spad to have a tiny incremental effect, or you could reprogram it to selectively speed it up when you want it to be that way by moving a switch or pressing a button on the panel. You can make the AP dance to your tune.

There are seven orange buttons, backlit. You can have some or all of them flash a blinking warning if certain conditions are met. You set the conditions for the warning out of dozens to choose from.

You can easily program the altitude entered to NEVER go below a certain number above ground level, if you want to. Or for a certain designated plane (or planes), to never enter an altitude above a certain flight level.

You can only do these kinds of things, if you use Logitech panels with Spad. I have not downloaded the logitech drivers, and don't plan to do so. I'm hiding from them !

With Spad I used snipets to remap the trim wheel of my Logitech Auto Pilot panel to make it increment VS by + or - 100 FPM,   instead of acting as a trim wheel.  I already had trim on my stick anyway, so might as well remap it.

I also made the flap switch raise ALT by 1000 fpm,  and lower it by 500 fpm.   This allows me to leave the AP knob in ALT,  then use the aluminum knob to control ALT and trim wheel to control VS.   Saves flipping that mode switch.

Now I need to find out how to make all the AP panel's led's flash when I overspeed.  I saw someone else do it.

Edited August 20, 20214 yr by Waldo Pepper

9 hours ago, Fielder said:

You can easily program the altitude entered to NEVER go below a certain number above ground level, if you want to. Or for a certain designated plane (or planes), to never enter an altitude above a certain flight level.

But does the original aircraft have this function?
I am sure we can create scripts to make our virtual aircraft have a better functioning autopilot than the real world version. We might even create an autopilot that automatically navigates around thunderstorms, or add an autoland feature to a Cessna 152, but I'd rather stick to simulating its real world.counterpart.

6 hours ago, orchestra_nl said:

But does the original aircraft have this function?
 

That's a very good point.

And vaguely like how PMDG DC-6 has a non functioning vintage radio stack down below and also a bolted on modern communications system added up top. Makes for a pleasant game, but a poor realistic simulation of how a DC-6 was actually flown in its heyday.

51 minutes ago, Fielder said:

That's a very good point.

And vaguely like how PMDG DC-6 has a non functioning vintage radio stack down below and also a bolted on modern communications system added up top. Makes for a pleasant game, but a poor realistic simulation of how a DC-6 was actually flown in its heyday.

True, although most DC-6's still flying today likely have their equipment updated. Most of us like authenticity in the sim but there is a limit to how far we are willing to go I guess.
As for authenticity: Whereas in the sim I prefer the original instruments, if I would be flying for real I'd probably prefer to have all the benefits of a glass cockpit and wouldn't say no to an autopilot that gets me out of trouble.