Hi people Im still trying to figure out how to add an autopilot system to an aircraft with out one Ive tried severl forums but no one seems to know how to do it or just wont tell me. Is there any sort of tutorial or some thing to tell me what to change in the airfile ive added the stuff in the aircraft.cfg but the nav hold and heading hold wont work right alt and wing level work fine though so i dont know what to do next

I think that most of the autopilot settings need to be defined in the airfile. I am not an expert, so I can't tell you exactly what to change. If you have an airfile editor, maybe that can help you out to find the autopilot section. Hopefully one of the airfile experts can jump on this one.Take Care,Udo.PGT.:-wave

Hey look at that some one replied... Thanks for the info ill try and find an editor been hoping some one could point me to a tutorial but seems no one knows how to add an autopilot to a plane. So ill go with the Airfile editor dont by chance know of one that works for FS2004 do ya

The AP system is a panel/gauge function. Try aliasing to a default panel and see that it works for you.Though there are many tweaks in the airfile (rec 1199), they are pretty standard. Those that can be understood are now "tweakable" in the aircraft.cfg. Record 317 is a basic "Do you have AP and what are the default VS" type stuff. Not sure this is used anymore but I always set it to "True" ... Milton

First of all, you add an autopilot gauge to the aircraft.Next, add this section to the aircraft.cfg file:[Autopilot]Autopilot_available=1Flight_director_available=1 //0 if no flight director availableDefault_vertical_speed=700Autothrottle_available=1 //0 if no autothrottle availablepitch_takeoff_ga=8.000000Autothrottle_arming_required=1 //0 if no autothrottle and/or armingAutothrottle_takeoff_ga=1Autothrottle_max_rpm=90.000000pitch_takeoff_ga=8.000000default_pitch_mode=0default_bank_mode=0max_pitch=10.000000max_pitch_acceleration=1.000000max_pitch_velocity_lo_alt=2.000000max_pitch_velocity_hi_alt=1.500000max_pitch_velocity_lo_alt_breakpoint=20000.000000max_pitch_velocity_hi_alt_breakpoint=28000.000000max_bank=25.000000max_bank_acceleration=1.800000max_bank_velocity=3.000000max_throttle_rate=0.100000nav_proportional_control=9.000000nav_integrator_control=0.250000nav_derivative_control=0.000000nav_integrator_boundary=2.500000nav_derivative_boundary=0.000000gs_proportional_control=9.520000gs_integrator_control=0.260000gs_derivative_control=0.000000gs_integrator_boundary=0.700000gs_derivative_boundary=0.000000yaw_damper_gain=0.000000 //1 if yaw damper availableBillAVSIM OmbudsmanFounder and Director,Creative Recycling of Aircraft Partshttp://catholic-hymns.com/frbill/FS2002/images/fartslogo.jpg

OK im working on the Trimotor.. i added the autopilot panel from the C208 and added what you said Bill alt hold works fine but when i turn heading hold on the plane starts going left to right starts circling and evenutaly will crash into the ground ive tried a couple different panels with the same results so whats could be going wrong here?

Hmm, seems easier than I thought to add the AP. Hahahaha.Hey Bill, there are some new lines in your cfg that I am unfamiliar with. From which plane is it ?UdoPGT modeler.:-wave

>>Hmm, seems easier than I thought to add the AP. Hahahaha.>>Hey Bill, there are some new lines in your cfg that I am>unfamiliar with. From which plane is it ?Those "new lines" are added by FS9 when any "imported a/c" is first run in the sim. That is actually a clip from the Socata TB20GT's current aircraft.cfg file.BillAVSIM OmbudsmanFounder and Director,Creative Recycling of Aircraft Partshttp://catholic-hymns.com/frbill/FS2002/images/fartslogo.jpg

So Bill do you have any idea whats up with the Tri Motor why it wont hold a heading?

>So Bill do you have any idea whats up with the Tri Motor why>it wont hold a heading?Not at the moment, I've not had time to check it out myself. I've got to go set up a network at another office today. Perhaps I'll have time to look into this later, when I return home.BillAVSIM OmbudsmanFounder and Director,Creative Recycling of Aircraft Partshttp://catholic-hymns.com/frbill/FS2002/images/fartslogo.jpg

Update on my efforts.. I copied all the info i could find on autopilot from the Cessna 208 airfile to the Trimotor and still get the same result

There still may be a missing entry in the *.air file that is causing your problem.A problem I noticed with the Ford Trimotor is during taxi. You can get the aircraft to start spinning with just a little differential braking and it is hard to stop by applying the opposite brake. The tail wheel using the rudder controls seems useless for even small corrections.W. Sieffert

>There still may be a missing entry in the *.air file that is>causing your problem.>>A problem I noticed with the Ford Trimotor is during taxi. >You can get the aircraft to start spinning with just a little>differential braking and it is hard to stop by applying the>opposite brake. The tail wheel using the rudder controls>seems useless for even small corrections.Like the DC-3, the tailwheel on the Trimotor is a free castering wheel. There is no "steering" possible! It's just like the front wheels on a shopping cart, and simply swivels towards whatever direction an external force applies...BillAVSIM OmbudsmanFounder and Director,Creative Recycling of Aircraft Partshttp://catholic-hymns.com/frbill/FS2002/images/fartslogo.jpg

Hi, Maybe some tips here to get the autopilot working :1. Make sure there is only 1 *AUTOPILOT* section in the aircraft.cfg, ( the one Bill replied with )2. Take a look at the following sections in the Fords aircraft.cfg:*direction_indicators*//1 Type: 0=None, 1=Vacuum Gyro, 2=Electric Gyro, 3=Electro-Mag Slaved Compass, 4=Slaved to another//2 Indicator number of slaving indicator if Type = 4direction_indicator.0=0,0*attitude_indicators*//Type: 0=None, 1=Vacuum Gyro, 2=Electric Gyroattitude_indicator.0 = 0*turn_indicators*//Type: 0=None, 1=Electric Gyro, 2=Vacuum Gyroturn_indicator.0=2,0*electrical*max_battery_voltage = 12generator_alternator_voltage = 13max_generator_alternator_amps = 25engine_generator_map= 0,1,03a. There is no direction indicator to tell the autopilot where it's going.. It's possible that one is not needed on the panel but with it set to zero that info may not be available to an autopilot.3b. same as 3a but regarding a attitude indicator.3c. no electrical to an autopilot ( maybe controls servos ?? )Maybe this may cure the ills...Regards,RomanGREEN BAY PACKERS][/i :-ukliam :-beerchug

spokes2112 right on the money I copied the info from the Cessna 182 and it works perfect now thanks to all for the help