ATR72 autopilot - frequent disconnects

[Adamski_NZ 968]

For some reason (unknown to me) I'm suddenly getting frequent autopilot disconnects with the ATR. This is in clear weather (ie. no turbulence), settled in cruise mode at the correct altitude and speed and without touching the controls.

I'm suspecting my X56 may be sending spurious control inputs, but wobbling the stick doesn't do it (unless it's a *drastic* input). I'm guessing it might be something on on X56 *throttle*, but looking at the AAOs window, I'm not seeing anything being activated on that side (buttons, axes or sliders) when it happens (I've also unbound anything a/p-related).

I've not had this trouble with the ATR before - and all other aircraft work fine. Any ideas?

[qqwertz 800]

This is a long shot, but maybe it helps: I had the same problem with the BlackboxSimulation Shorts 360. It turned out the reason was that I accidently switch off the aviation master switch each time. I am running MSFS in windowed mode, so that I can access the Windows taskbar during flight. When I click on an icon (I think it is Navigraph) in the center of the taskbar, the mouse click also applies to MSFS, and the master switch was normally right under that icon. Since I take care to change my view before clicking on that icon, the problem is gone.

Peter

[Adamski_NZ 968]

11 hours ago, qqwertz said:

It turned out the reason was that I accidently switch off the aviation master switch each time.

Thanks! Do you mean the avionics master switch?

I'm getting these disconnects even when:

1) Flying steadily in CRUISE mode.
2) Not using any of the controls.
3) Not changing views or anything.

Is there any way (in MSFS or external app) that can display control (and keyboard) inputs in real time?

 

[Bdub22 1,628]

11 hours ago, qqwertz said:

I am running MSFS in windowed mode, so that I can access the Windows taskbar during flight.

All you have to do is hit the Windows key on your keyboard and the bottom will levitate up to show taskbar. 

[qqwertz 800]

1 hour ago, Adamski_NZ said:

Thanks! Do you mean the avionics master switch?

You never heard of the aviation master switch? 🤪

Sorry, you are right of course 🙂

[Adamski_NZ 968]

28 minutes ago, qqwertz said:

You never heard of the aviation master switch? 🤪

Sorry, you are right of course 🙂

LOL! Well ... I unbound all the keys relating to the avionics master switch - and still got the problem.

However ... it appears that when I start from the runway, all is OK. It's when I do a full cold & dark start that something must be misconfigured/not initialised correctly. I'm also loading Simbrief plans (and payloads), so that might be confusing things as well.

[qqwertz 800]

19 minutes ago, Adamski_NZ said:

runway, all is OK. It's when I do a full cold & dark start that something must be misconfigured/not initialised correctly. I'm also loading Simbrief plans (and payloads), so that might be confusing things as well.

Ah, that might be another clue. It happened to me that I forgot to switch on the inverters in the analog KingAir and lost avionics power when the battery was drained during flight, even though the generators were on. 

[vitolo 10]

Hans' ATR is nothing more and nothing less than a complete unflyable bugfest right now...

[qqwertz 800]

Works fine for me, except for power settings. When taxiing on the ground, it loses power if I do not keep the rpm above idle, I even lose brakes then. 

[Adamski_NZ 968]

I *think* I've found the problem. It happens whenever I load fuel/payload from the imported Simbrief plan. Whether I load via the EFB or by the MCDU, I get the error.

If I load the Simbrief plan (for the flight plan only) and don't do any payload edits, it all works fine. So it seems to me that trim (or C of G) aren't being correctly loaded and the ATR is unbalanced in some way - and the a/p struggles to make sense of it.

Testing continues!

[qqwertz 800]

You might be on to something with the trim. It appears to be always 1.5 up when I fly the plane now, but I hadn't any issues with that so far.

[mryan75 281]

11 hours ago, vitolo said:

Hans' ATR is nothing more and nothing less than a complete unflyable bugfest right now...

I fly it daily with the one minor hydraulics issue. No problems at all accommodating what’s wrong with it at this point. 

[dzmitry 9]

1 hour ago, mryan75 said:

I fly it daily with the one minor hydraulics issue. No problems at all accommodating what’s wrong with it at this point. 

Well, if you press F-PLN twice-three times in a row you lock the FMS in a permanent TMPY mode without possibility of modifying anything; If you use boost function at takeoff it will be engaged at landing and you cannot disengage it; it's impossible to set the QNH from FO position; hydraulics AC-wild obviously; Navdata errors - some approaches are unflyable because the FMS doesn't places the fixes in the correct places; LOC/GS following is hit and miss; sweet mix of lack of rudder authority coupled with erraneous swinging in crosswind; If you set trim magenta the plane will liftoff bevore VR; no way of doing multilegs in one flight; wrong visualization of terrain map at ND (at distance of 15NM+ the terrain and navigation data like airports or fixes don't match)... This is only what I can remember from a couple last flights.

[mryan75 281]

23 minutes ago, dzmitry said:

Well, if you press F-PLN twice-three times in a row you lock the FMS in a permanent TMPY mode without possibility of modifying anything; If you use boost function at takeoff it will be engaged at landing and you cannot disengage it; it's impossible to set the QNH from FO position; hydraulics AC-wild obviously; Navdata errors - some approaches are unflyable because the FMS doesn't places the fixes in the correct places; LOC/GS following is hit and miss; sweet mix of lack of rudder authority coupled with erraneous swinging in crosswind; If you set trim magenta the plane will liftoff bevore VR; no way of doing multilegs in one flight; wrong visualization of terrain map at ND (at distance of 15NM+ the terrain and navigation data like airports or fixes don't match)... This is only what I can remember from a couple last flights.

Yeah, the nav issues you mention are indeed a problem, but everything else I can live with (aside from not having noticed much of what you mention), particularly given we have an update incoming this month.

[dzmitry 9]

2 minutes ago, mryan75 said:

Yeah, the nav issues you mention are indeed a problem, but everything else I can live with (aside from not having noticed much of what you mention), particularly given we have an update incoming this month.

I mean you're right, knowing the bugs you can somewhat go around them. I love the plane actually but it feels a bit a chore to fly it knowing that you can break it in so many ways. I really really really hope in an update this month.