Something to think about

**captainf** · 01-03-2002, 04:10 PM

I was just wondering what everyones opinion was about which FS is better. Is FS2000 better than FS2002 or vice versa ?. I noticed the small LVL bug on the autopilot and this was kinda dissapointing however I did download that utility to remove the activation of that button but I noticed that it did not work on all aircraft. Some planes still have the LVL active. I have noticed that the static a/c scenery flying and taxying around is fantastic though. I was just wondering what everyone else thinks about FS2000 and 2002.

http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/Use...d31d92e46e.jpg

Regards

Ashley

**DaveKDEN** · 01-03-2002, 04:13 PM

>I noticed the small LVL bug on the autopilot and this was kinda dissapointing...

That's not a bug. This is the first version of MSFS that has the function correctly implemented. FS2002 is light years ahead of FS2000.
Dave

**mcwdainow** · 01-03-2002, 04:17 PM

I've never had FS2000 but i think FS2002 is alot better...
http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/Use...6c031828fb.jpg

**captainf** · 01-03-2002, 04:41 PM

The LVL problem isnt really a problem at all ?. It was really correctly implimented ?. Seriously ?. So when the AP is on in an a/c the pilots can't manually turn the a/c without disconnecting the AP ?.

http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/Use...d31d92e46e.jpg

I need answers to that

Regards

Ash

**DaveKDEN** · 01-03-2002, 04:47 PM

Correct. I'm not so sure about light aircraft, but on larger aircraft once the AP is engaged, you have to use functions on the AP to turn the aircraft. I could go into this topic in depth, but in general, the AP function of FS2002 is correctly implemented.
Dave

**captainf** · 01-03-2002, 05:21 PM

I would like to go more in to depth with this..Would you please contact me on my email address Dave?..... egll_eidw@hotmail.com

http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/Use...d31d92e46e.jpg

Regards

Ash

**DaveKDEN** · 01-03-2002, 06:57 PM

E-mail's on the way

**captainf** · 01-03-2002, 07:12 PM

For some reason when I try to send you an e-mail, it is returned to me. I tried to send it a few times but it wouldnt work so im just going to paste the e-mail here.....

Hi David

Thanks for your reply. I was just wondering about the LVL on the AP. I didnt know that it was active from the moment the AP was switched on. I thaught that the LVL was only used on the request of the pilot. I also thaught that the pilot controlled the plane laterally manually, if and when he wanted to while the AP was on. I just wondered why that LVL is actually there if the HDG is in control?. Also wouldnt it be a good idea if a pilot could turn the plane at his own pace ?.

Are you a pilot of some sort ?. I will be going for my PPL soon but it will be in a C152 which doesnt have an AP....lol.

Anyway

Thanks for your reply.

I hope you can help me out

Regards

Ashley

http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/Use...d31d92e46e.jpg

Thats all of it

Regards

Ashley

**DaveKDEN** · 01-03-2002, 08:08 PM

>Are you a pilot of some sort ?.

I flew C-130's in the USAF and am now employed with UAL. I've been flying the 727 for the past 3 years (1 year as a S/O and 2 as an F/O). I'm currently waiting to go to training on the Airbus (United retired all our 727's as a consequence of the slowdown due to the terrorist attacks).

My experience with AP's is limited to the C-130 and 727. While I've flown C150's, Tomahawks, T-41's (USAF version of the C172), Piper Seminole, T-37's, and T-38's. None of those aircraft were equiped with an AP with the exception of the Seminole. I didn't use the AP on the Seminole however (I flew it a handful of times to get an ATP rating when I was still in the AF).

The C-130E that I flew had an antiquated AP with separate controls for the aileron, elevator, and rudder. While you could "engage" each control separately, the AP was designed to be flown with everything on. As such, you used a control knob to change heading and altitude (mounted just behind the throttle quadrant). When a particular control was not engaged, you could use the yoke/rudders to control the specific control surface (aileron, elevator, rudder). However, it was a bit cumbersome to "fly" like that. The vast majority of the time, we used the AP to fly when in cruise. The old AP on the C-130 was very limited without many of the features available on newer AP's.

United's 727's had a slightly better AP, but with only 2 channels (aileron and elevator). The rudder has a yaw damper that works in conjunction with the AP to help coordinate turns. On the 727, you could engage the aileron and "hand-fly" the elevator, but not the other way (the AP on United's 727's needed the aileron engaged before the elevator could be engaged). This is represented in the way FS2002's AP's work. While it was an older design , the AP on United's 727's was certified for CatII ILS approaches (not so on the C-130E model I used to fly).

Modern "glass" aircraft have AP's that work in full concert with autoflight systems which consists of the AP (normally 3 separate AP's), flgiht management computer (FMC), and mode control panel (MCP). I don't have any practical experience with those types of systems (though I had 3 days of computer based training on the 757/767 autoflight system a couple of weeks back - long story). From what I understand, normal operation of modern autoflight systems has the AP controlling all functions (including auto-throttle).

Hopefully this information helps (vs. just confusing you even more),

Dave

**captainf** · 01-04-2002, 09:43 PM

Thanks very much for your help. It was quite confusing but I will read through it a few more times. I should understand it eventually.

http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/Use...d31d92e46e.jpg

Regards

Ashley