How to make std rate turn in XML autopilot?

[okbob]

I cannot find anything in the SDK for key codes that call for a standard rate turn. Or even any turn, left or right.

There must be some way to do it, because aircraft will readily turn to a designated heading.

 

But I just want to add a "turn" knob to an a/p.

I would really appreciate any suggestions, or pointers to any existing gauges that do this.

 

Thanks so much for your time. OkBob

[il88pp]

Do you want to make the aircraft fly a circular holding pattern? I can imagine that would be useful.

 

I'm thinking a standard rate turn has a fixed bank angle.

 

You would need to have something that:

-sets that bank angle on the autopilot.

-that specific bank angle needs to also be defined in the aircraft.cfg file, as it needs to be available.

 

-it needs to set the autopilot heading for example 170 degrees to the right.

Let's say your heading is now 340 degres, then it needs to set the autopilot heading to150 degrees.

 

-It needs to increase the autopilot heading again when almost at the new heading.

For example as the heading is 130, set it to 130 plus 170. ---> 300 degrees.

That way it keeps on turning.

 

--------

There also needs to be a "End Turn"-button.

When you click "End Turn"-button, it needs to set the autopilot heading to the current aircraft heading.

 

-------------

(And you would want two 'Turn'-buttons really, one for left turn, and one for right turn.)

 

 

Maybe that's not at all what you wanted. I just thought it over briefly. But that's what would seem usefull to me.

To be honest, I wouldn't even be sure a standard rate turn is at a fixed bank angle. I remember something like that, but it also had something to do with completing a full circle in a certain amount of time I think. Not sure.

[okbob]

Thanks IlPP, you have confirmed my "general" thinking. I believe a "standard" rate turn is 360 degrees in two minutes or 3 degrees per second. And thus the bank angle would vary with the speed of the airplane to maintain that rate of turn.

 

Your idea of increasing the heading again when almost at the new heading is good.

 

Thanks much, I'll keep on plugging. OkBob

[PhantomTweak]

I have NO idea how to make a gauge or button to do what you want, but there is a setting in the Aircraft.cfg for bank angle the autopilot uses.

It's in the [autopilot] section, the line max_bank=25.0

I've seen some that have coma delineated numbers for it, thus: max_bank=25.0, 20.0, 15.0

but what that indicates I am not certain.

There are also settings for the PID controller the AP uses to determine how much to turn, how fast to bank over and so on. You can read through the heading [Autopilot] on THIS PAGE for a lot more information. It's for a slightly different MS product, but it seems the information overall is pretty much identitical to MSFS. I use it all the time.

Hope that helps in some way...

Pat☺

[okbob]

Thanks, Pat. I hadn't checked on the MS config page. In the AP settings I found this setting: max_bank_velocity in degrees per second. There is where the 3 degree turn can be set.

Too bad MS didn't program a turn, that is not coupled with the heading, into the A/P settings.

Cool beans, OkBob

[PhantomTweak]

Glad you found what you wanted :)

Pat☺