Section Eight F86 Autopilot

I have been trying out the autopilot features in the FSX program on different aircraft and on the Section Eight F86 it seems when I engage the autopilot it locks on to whatever altitude I am at that moment and cannot adjust it lower or higher unless I dis-engage and change the altitude myself . Unlike all the other aircraft I have. If I have explained myself anyway, just wondering why their F86 reacts this way. I have looked in the aircraft.cfg file as well as the air.file and the autopilot feature seems to be in place with the same entries as any other aircraft using that feature.

Just looking at the aircraft.cfg [autopilot] section:

 

 

[autopilot]

autopilot_available=1

flight_director_available=0

direction_indicator=0

attitude_indicator=0

 

Those 0s may be what's causing the difficulties along with the lack of these entries:

 

[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

 

 

[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 = 1

 

 

[turn_indicators]

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

turn_indicator.0=0,0

 

I would also substitute the 737 [autopilot] section for the one that is there.

Same answer as here

 

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showthread.php?311416-Tuning-the-quot-STC-quot-autopilot-in-my-Milviz-F-86&highlight=milviz

 

Suspect it won't work as too much is programmed outside of the default autopilot.

I have tried that already but will try again. It seems odd because the autopilot works and works well except you cannot make corrections when it is engaged. I though something in the airfile and I opened that up but of course that is way over my head but I did see and autopilot section in there

I have tried that already but will try again. It seems odd because the autopilot works and works well except you cannot make corrections when it is engaged. I though something in the airfile and I opened that up but of course that is way over my head but I did see and autopilot section in there

 

OK, I totally forgot about how those older A/P work. You do, in fact, have to disengage the altitude or heading hold and manually fly the aircraft to the altitude and heading you want then reengage the AP holds.

What's the difference in the programing or should I say the cfg. that makes it work that way or am I getting to greedy for knowledge? To tell you the truth I recently purchased the Saitek multi switch box you know with the flaps, pitch trim and Autopilot. At first I though well the autopilot wasn't really worth it but now have found I am having more fun learning how that all works then anything.

What's the difference in the programing or should I say the cfg. that makes it work that way or am I getting to greedy for knowledge? To tell you the truth I recently purchased the Saitek multi switch box you know with the flaps, pitch trim and Autopilot. At first I though well the autopilot wasn't really worth it but now have found I am having more fun learning how that all works then anything.

 

No clue or idea how it's programmed. I forgot how old that particular A/P was and it was never my favorite. For whatever reason, I always remember the scene in Airport '75 where Karen Black (Nancy) was sitting in the pilot's seat and Chuck Heston was talking here through a climbing turn.

 

 

 

Did the 747 really have that old-fashioned A/P installed??? I've never seen the "Manual help the A/P make a turn" except in this movie.

 

 

 

It did back in '75, when the baddies were shooting at them with Phantoms, if it's the one I'm thinking of.

Popular aircraft, even for the bad guys!

 

Anywho, Mike, there are two entries in the aircraft.cfg which, coupled with the AP's programming, have the effect you're seeing.

Zippy had it right, BTW. The two entries in question here are:

 

default_pitch_mode=0

default_bank_mode=0

 

What they DO, according to the SDK is:

 

default_pitch_mode=0

This determines the default pitch mode when the autopilot logic is turned on.

0 = None

1 = Pitch Hold (current pitch angle)

2 = Altitude Hold (current altitude)

If no value is set, Pitch Hold will be the default.

 

and

 

default_bank_mode=0

This determines the default bank mode when the autopilot logic is turned on.

0 = None

1 = Wing Level Hold

2 = Heading Hold (current heading).

If no value is set, Wing Level Hold will be the default.

 

Couple those two entries with the entries:

 

direction_indicator=0

attitude_indicator=0

 

which do this:

 

direction_indicator=0

Indicates which direction indicator system on the aircraft is being referenced by the autopilot.

0 = the first, and is the default.

 

and

 

attitude_indicator=0

Indicates which attitude indicator system on the aircraft is being referenced by the autopilot.

0 = the first, and is the default.

 

So, you can see just how the specific entries are set up in your plane's AP section of the aircraft.cfg.

 

Also, the way the AP is programmed to function has a major effect on this situation. If you want, I should be able to dig the specific portions of the AP's XML file to show you, but they're a bit complicated. Unless you're a lot better at XML programming than I am, I suggest leaving that part alone :D

 

Hope this helps a little...

Pat☺

Ha! Ha! I remember that. I have been learning how to get the 737-800 in the air but if it wasn't for my new Saitek Autopilot not sure I could keep there. As for a 747 I still need practice. I can fly a Stearman pretty well though without an autopilot I might add. I remember Chuck Norris landing a 747 one time in Walker Texas Ranger.

I have "Miss Joan" cruising at 22,000 ft and I can make corrections with the heading with the autopilot engaged just not the Alt and VS I did replace Section Eights autopilot with the default 737 not that it mattered I think hope they don't get mad at me because I love their F86.