Tuning the "STC" autopilot in my Milviz F-86

Hey folks,

 

I've edited aircraft config files and integrated the default autopilot successfully into dozens of add-on aircraft, but I have been unsuccessful with my newest purchase: the Milviz F-86. My reasons for doing so mostly involve the need for ALT hold on transition flights, as the trim is too coarse to be useful at FL400+.

 

I have endlessly modified the "Autopilot" section dealing with vertical guidance, to include some pretty wild pitch limit, pitch accel, and pitch velocity values. Yet nothing seems to make much difference.

 

The observed behavior is always that the autopilot heavily dampens my manual control and trim inputs upon activating ALT mode, and it does appear to seek either a climb or descent initially. But the actual rate blows right past the selected rate, and it doesn't correct itself for twenty seconds or so - obviously far too late. It's almost as if my selected limit values in the .cfg are being divided hundredfold, or the response for vertical modes is somehow not being communicated quickly.

 

I will say that my lateral guidance seems to be working normally - I ask it to hold heading, and it acts in conjunction with the bank values I've established. But no matter how extraordinary the values I use for vertical mode, it does not respond.

 

Anyone have any ideas or suggestions? Am I chasing a problem that the specific model has made unfixable?

 

Thanks in advace!

 

TFH

Sounds like you are installing an A/P to an aircraft that did not come with one. Do you have all of this good stuff in your 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 = 4

direction_indicator.0=3,0

direction_indicator.1=3,0

 

[altimeters]

altimeter.0=1

altimeter.1=1

 

[airspeed_indicators]

airspeed_indicator.0=1

airspeed_indicator.1=1

 

[attitude_indicators]

//Type: 0=None, 1=Vacuum Gyro, 2=Electric Gyro

attitude_indicator.0 = 2

attitude_indicator.1 = 2

 

[turn_indicators]

//Type: 0=None, 1=Electric Gyro, 2= Vacuum Gyro

turn_indicator.0=0,0

Do you have all of this good stuff in your aircraft.cfg?

 

Interestingly enough, there was no "Altimeters" or "airspeed indicators" section.

 

Here's what it came with:

 

[direction_indicators]
direction_indicator.0=3,0	

[attitude_indicators]
attitude_indicator.0=2

[turn_indicators]
turn_indicator.0=1,0

 

And ssuming the duplicates were necessary for A/P function, I edited it to the following:

 

[direction_indicators]
direction_indicator.0=3,0
direction_indicator.1=3,0

[altimeters]
altimeter.0=1
altimeter.1=1

[airspeed_indicators]
airspeed_indicator.0=1
airspeed_indicator.1=1

[attitude_indicators]
attitude_indicator.0=2
attitude_indicator.1=2

[turn_indicators]
turn_indicator.0=0,0

 

The end result is the same: no change, ALT still doesn't work. Wing leveler works though, so I can confirm the autopilot is at least engaging in some way. And just to confirm my aircraft.cfg is indeed saving after my edits, I'm also changing the autopilot's default VS value by a little each time to make sure it updates.

 

What else might I be missing?

 

TFH

A little clarification, please. You said you used the "default Autopilot". Uhm....which one is that?

The panel.cfg callup is “Bendix_King_Radio!Bendix-King Radio AP,” and it looks like this:

 

I have always had a liking for the 737-400 A/P unit for installation into aircraft, especially Jet fighters that don't have an A/P. No need for a panel instrument to have a heading bug. I think I got it by installing a TDS 737 about 4 years ago. I then use the [autopilot] section from the default 737-800 and adjust the V/S speed accordingly.

 

The Milviz Sabre is not equipped with an autopilot and as an advanced addon, unlikely to be suitable for doing so.

 

ALL support for Milviz payware is via their official support forum. You should go there and ask as I don't think it's even possible.

The Milviz Sabre is not equipped with an autopilot and as an advanced addon, unlikely to be suitable for doing so.

 

ALL support for Milviz payware is via their official support forum. You should go there and ask as I don't think it's even possible.

 

This. I had to override the trim system in FS in order to simulate the flight control system properly. This prevents anyone from using the FS autopilot system.