Are FS2004 autopilots on 60s planes worse than modern ones?

[Cel70]

I have a few 60s vintage planes such as the Delta Dart F 106 and the Mirage IV and I've found the autopilot difference between them and a modern one like an Airbus is quite noticeable. With an Airbus or a Boeing you can practically point the plane in the general direction of a runway, engage the ILS and the plane will almost land itself. However doing the same thing with 60s military planes like the F 106 is very different. Time and time again the autopilot seems almost determined to fly my plane straight into the ground.

 

So does FS2004 (and FSX for that matter) accurately model different autopilots of varying degrees of accuracy, or am I just being a lousy pilot?;)

[JSMR]

Thankfully they fit controls to aircraft so you can fly it yourself and land. :)

[Guest me1900]

I wouldn't depend on autopilot to land even in FSX/P3D/Xplane and REAL planes. Autopilot is good for getting there and stable flight but not really good for autoland in a 60's era plane. I prefer full hands on controlled landings. Except for IFR conditions below minimums at decision height when you cant see nothing beyond the glareshield.

[Cel70]

The delta jets have no flaps so must land at a high nose up attitude and high speed. That combined with a metal cockpit spar in the middle of the windshield means that usually you won't even be able to see the runway while landing, unless you do a quick sideslip. Landing 100% manually is very difficult. It's nice to know you can have at least some help with the localizer.

[tgibson_new]

If you are heading into the ground it often means you have run out of up trim and need to make the approach faster (or use more flaps).

[PhantomTweak]

"AP's" in fighters are not designed to fly the plane for you like they are on commercial planes. The military believes that their pilots should actually FLY the plane, not sit there and push buttons on occaision.

They are known as "Pilot Relief systems" instead. They are there so the pilot can stretch his hands for a minute, change radio settings, change flight plan parameters, rest his eyes for a minute...I think you get the idea. They aren't there to fly the plane down to the deck, flare (a no-no!), and land. Not counting the ACLS systems, when they work. And most good, or experienced, Navy/MC pilots don't trust them unless they are told to use them specifically.

 

Military pilots are supposed to fly the plane with their "Hand On (the) Throttle And Stick". Acronym look familiar? :D By the way, military pilots, at least Navy/MC pilots, laugh their tails off at the Public Affairs required pronunciation of that. It's not Hoe-Tawz, like the PA office tells them to use. It's Hot-A$$.

 

Anywho, it's not just 60's AP systems that are like that in military planes. The systems are still pretty much the same. Pilot Relief, not "Fly for the button pusher in the cockpit" systems.

 

Just my 2 copper pennies on the subject...

Pat☺