G1000NXi: Get out of ROL and PIT

[KiloWatt]

Hi everyone,

I hope someone can tell me what I'm doing wrong here. Like the title says, I'm having trouble getting out of the ROL and PIT modes of the NXi. Typically what happens is that I set the required autopilot modes (usually A combination of NAV, ALT, FLC, VS) until I want to fly an approach. Then when I deactivate the autopilot, the PFD will still indicate that ROL and PIT modes are active.

Try as I might, I can't deactivate these modes. Even after the AP and flight director is deactivated, the PFD will show that these modes are active and the aircraft will follow the ROL and PIT behaviour.

I've tried this in the 172 and 208. My only mods are "We Love VFR" and an ORBX scenery pack. I doubt these have any influence in this case.

Any tips appreciated.

Thanks!

[tiger1962]

The ROL (roll) and PIT (pitch) modes are the default settings for the NXi, in which the pilot can control the heading and pitch, and the AP keeps the wings level and maintains that pitch automatically.
On approach, when you switch the CDI from GPS to LOC1 source, the NAV mode will disengage and revert to ROL mode and you have re-engage NAV mode in order to then select APP mode.

[KiloWatt]

Thank you Tim. You mention that ROL and PIT modes are default settings, where the AP keeps the wings level and maintains the pitch.

But here's my problem: When I deactivate the AP, these modes are still active. So then I don't have free control of the aircraft. Surely that's not normal, is it?

In a nutshell, I want to deactivate the AP, and get full control of the aircraft back. But I can't figure out how to do that.

[tiger1962]

When I deactivate the AP, these modes are still active. So then I don't have free control of the aircraft. Surely that's not normal, is it?

Yes it is - ROL and PIT are always active even when AP is off, those are the default modes. You can still control the aircraft and point it in whichever direction you want, and the AP will keep it heading that way until you change direction again. It's modern airliner tech in a GA plane!

[avallillo]

I fly an nxi C172 for CAP, and "that" (rol and pit always active, even when the FD is off) is NOT how it works. One bit of full disclosure - fortunately, the nxi that I fly does not have the Cessna MCAS (!) in it; it is just the more advanced PFD and MFD, without the "Otto has the airplane" override (I forget what they actually call it - perhaps ESP). I have no idea what additional tendrils the automatics have on manual operations in an airplane with the ESP.

In any G1000 plane (nxi or original) with the Garmin GFC700 autoflight, disengaging the autopilot will leave you in complete manual control, BUT with the Flight Director still engaged and displaying the command bars-either to the last settings you had the autopilot working under, or PIT/ROL if all else has dropped out. To get rid of the PIT/ROL, you must turn off the FD. THEN you end up with no annunciators showing on the PFD. You have been in full manual control since the AP was turned off, but it can sometimes be confusing since the FD command bars are still visible, commanding whatever they had been doing before Otto signed off.

How well this is modeled in any given product is subject to review!

[KiloWatt]

Thank you both for your help. What Avallillo said makes a bit more sense (with all due respect to Tim, from one Haligonian to another). As always happens, now that I want to try what Avallillo said, it works perfectly. Hopefully I just did something wrong when I tried it yesterday - I'd prefer that to a bug.

Have a great week guys!

[Aptosflier]

Yes it is - ROL and PIT are always active even when AP is off, those are the default modes. You can still control the aircraft and point it in whichever direction you want, and the AP will keep it heading that way until you change direction again. It's modern airliner tech in a GA plane!

I hadn't noticed this. When I turn off AP on final approach, I can bank the plane to the right and left, which I can't do manually when AP is engaged. Similarly, if I turn off AP mid-flight -- after using it to maintain altitude while steering the plane with the HDG bug -- I can fly it in any direction I want manually; there is no countervailing wing leveling. Moreover, I have to keep trimming it and adjusting the throttle to maintain my preferred flight level.