What is the difference between...

[Guest Dominik Mann]

...autopilot and Flight Director?Been wanting to ask that for a long time :-) ...

[BobP 56]

Hi Mann!For most aviation uses, the flight director shows the actions commanded by the autopilot. IE climb, bank left, bank right ect. The flight director only mode (autopilot not engaged) shows what the autopilot wants to do with your airplane without the autopilot servo's connected to the flight controls.If you check the flight director (and you should) before engaging an autopilot mode, and it is calling for inverted flight, you might not want to give "auto" your plane. :)Hope I helped.Have Fun!BobP :)

[Guest]

What Bob siad. If for example your autopilot has you set to go to 10000 feet. The flight director basically points to the angle of attack that your plane needs to fly. When you level off at 10000ft the flight director will be flat and level.Pete

[Guest Dominik Mann]

Thanks to you both, Bob and Pete! :-)

[Guest]

A few weeks back, there was a very informative thread in this forum concerning use of the FS2002 Flight Director. It was started by a member who was (or is, can't remember which) an airline pilot. The thrust of his point seem to be that it serves a useless function in FS2002 because it hasn't been programmed to work properly. He then went on to explain how he believed it ought to work even in simulated flight programs. I did a search for it, hoping to post a link to it in answer to your question, but couldn't find it. I sure hope someone else can find it and bring it to your attention as it created a lenghty thread of responses and was interesting reading.Fond memories of Frankfurt Am Main. I worked in Frankfurt for three years in the 70's negotiating and managing NATO construction contracts. My wife and I lived in Offenbach for 1.5 years, then moved up into the Taunus Mts. to Oberursel for 1.5 years. Our son, Raab, was born in Frankfurt. I had taken six courses in German at Cal as an undergraduate, so I was in pretty good shape so far as being bilingual. I frequently rode a 10-speed racing bike into work both from Offenbach and Oberursel across farmers fields and using those welcomed bike paths all around Frankfurt always in pursuit of that elusive straight line as the shortest distance between two points. Good luck, Dominik. http://home.kscable.com/rfromholz/ADX.JPG

[brucek 38]

Hi,I see from your sig that you're near EDDF. An off-topic question for you: Do you know what STAR /SIDs and used primarily for US to/from traffic, at EDDF (if at all)? Sometimes local knowledge such as this is good to have for added realism.Thanks,Bruce.

[Guest Dominik Mann]

Hey, Oberursel is right next door to where I live (Kronberg)! I really think I am glad to be able to live here...when I'm looking out of the window from my office/computer room I have a direct view on the Altk

[Guest Dominik Mann]

Bruce,I'm not directly familiar with EDDF's approach and departure routes, but there's one item I recall which might be of interest to you. Some time last summer the DFS (Deutsche Flugsicherung) introduced an altered departure route in an attempt to reduce noise levels for the southern parts of Frankfurt as well as the towns south of Frankfurt - such as Neu-Isenburg, Kelsterbach, R