You guys were very helpful with my first question, so I’m back…
I’ve watched the Robert Sogomonian video on the autopilot(AP), and tried the various modes. They seem to generally do what I expect, but every once in a while I get a “flaky” response.
For example, in the “route following mode”, I expect the AP to go back and forth a bit (a few degrees one way or the other) to get on course. But sometimes the back and forth is a series of a wild swing of 20-30 degrees one way, followed by a wild swing the other way, then back again. This might happen a half dozen times until I finally turn the AP off.
In Robert’s video, he mentions that the LNDG mode combined with the AP route following, will bring the plane into the proper “line up” for a landing, including keeping it on the correct landing profile. Now, I’m not looking for an “auto land” function, but I’ve not been able to get this to work; usually what happens when I’m in LNDG mode and I turn on the route following AP, I get an immediate violent roll and if I leave it in AP, it will crash into the ground.
(By the way, I finally got a second hand Saitek x-45 hotas, which makes things easier than using the keyboard for flight control. Next on the budget is a monitor larger than the 17" monitor that I’m currently using.)
Anyway, regarding the AP, what am I doing wrong here?
Thanks for any help.
Autopilot in all the FC3 planes is pretty flaky; they seem to behave more like helicopter AP modes rather than fixed wing. Generally speaking, you have to be fairly well trimmed out before engaging the AP, and even then there tends to be a lot of drift for the FC3 birds.
You may laugh. I’ve been doing this since LOMAC and my first thought was, “the Su-25T has an autopilot?” LOL…I should read the manual.
Your question seems to have been answered by the knowledgeable gentlemen above.
My only suggestion is that when your budget can afford it (isn’t that always the caveat for us all), you might want to pick up the MiG-21. It’s autopilot is reportedly fairly authentic. Its autoland will get you to the threshold “area” …of course it is a beast to land in any conditions, but that is also realistic.
I used the AP on all the FC birds EXCEPT the 25T. When I first saw it had 6 modes back in 2005 or whatever I just said “nope!”
To this day I have never used it besides the autoleveler. It has that, right? I’ve not flown it in ages honestly.
I’ve also never used the AP in the Ka-50, I just trim it and “poor man’s AP” hands-off fly it that way for about 60 seconds at a time, then adjust and retrim for another 60…
The route following AP in the KA-50 actually works very well if it starts off trimmed fairly well, and the route doesn’t have too sharp of turns. Trim for flight, “F” to set the altitude that it will try to hold, hit the altitude AP button (I think the control if LCTRL+A), “R” to set it to route autopilot and sit back and enjoy your flight.