General Category > Unofficial F/A-18 Acceleration Pack board
Autopilot and Radio explainations
virtuali:
The Up Front Control Panel (UFC) of the F/A-18 could be quite difficult to grasp, because it deviates from a civilian A/P quite a bit.
COM Mode
The first thing to be noted is the UFC has basically two "levels" of operation. The "top" level is the COM mode. This is the mode the UFC is in by default, you know you are in this mode, because the indications will read:
GRCV
SQCH
CPHR
AM
MENU
This mode is simplified compared to the real one, since we don't obviously have the capability to encrypt ATC communications in FSX...So, the options about the Cypher or the frequency band will "act" like the real one, but will not have any impact on operation.
The most important controls in COM radios are the two channel selectors under the "1" and "2" Windows. These will control COM1 and COM2, respectively. Here we have another difference between real world F/A-18 and FSX. In the real one, those selectors can be rotated or pulled. Rotating the controls would select from a preset memory of 1 to 20 COM channels, while pulling would go into "Manual" mode, allowing for a direct COM frequency selection.
We have only implemented the Manual mode so, to select a COM frequency directly, pull the selector and the corresponding radio will go in Manual mode, showing an "M" in its Window, and the current COM frequency in the UFC Scratchpad.
Now, the COM radio is ready to accept input from the keypad. The input system is smart enough to allow to use shortcuts so, for example:
to select 128.375, dial 1-2-8-3-7-5-ENT on the keypad
to select 128.35, dial 1-2-8-3-5-ENT
to select 128.3, dial 1-2-8-3-ENT
to select 128.00, dial 1-2-8-ENT
Illegal input will be flagged with an "Error" flashing message, and you can correct an input by pressing the CLR button.
By using the two "VOL COMM1" and "VOL COMM2" knobs, you can select which COM you are transmitting to. The active COM is signaled by the "ON" indication on the UFC Scratchpad, when the frequency is displayed. Pulling again the Channel selector knobs, will return to normal operation.
Now, let's talk about the other modes, starting with the A/P. It's important to note that, apart for the "top" COM Mode, ALL the other modes are like sub-menus of the main COM mode. You "enter" a mode pressing the relevant mode key, and you "exit" from it, by pressing the same button again, thus returning to the top-level COM mode.
A/P Mode - Autopilot
Pressing the A/P button will enter into Autopilot mode. The Panel will now show:
ATTH
HSEL
BALT
RALT
CPL
It's important to note that, opposite to any civilian A/P, the F/A-18 A/P has been designed for speed of operation, not safety or passengers comfort. This means, there's no "preselection" of modes: when an A/P mode is selected, it will immediately engage and it will also turn on the A/P, if not already engaged. Of course, you can always manually turn on/off the A/P, by using the ON/OFF button when in Autopilot Mode.
To better learn autopilot modes, I suggest putting the left MFD screen on the ACL page, so you will be able to see all the Autopilot Annunciators, and the right MFD screen on HSI mode (should be default). To do this, press "MENU" on the left MFD, then press "ACL". On the right, press "MENU", then "HSI"
ATTH - is the Attitude Hold mode.
HSEL - Heading Select. It will mantain the Heading selected with the HDG selection bug. The HDG and CRS selection bugs are just under the Fuel selector. You can check the current selected heading on the HSI under the HSEL readout, and there's a bug displayed on the HSI as well. Note also, on the HSI, a "CPL HDG" readout will appear close to the airplane symbol.
BALT - Barometric Altitude Hold mode. This will set Altitude Hold mode at the CURRENT Altitude. There's no way to manually pre select a different altitude, Altitude mode here will always lock at your current altitude.
RALT - Radard Altitude Hold Mode. Not implemented
CPL - Coupled mode. This mode is a generic way to name all modes that are Coupled to something like a TACAN, and ILS or a WAYPOINT. What you are coupled to, depends on the mode that has been selected on the HSI screen. To change Coupling mode, select either "TCN", "ILS" or "WPT" on the HSI, to toggle between modes. NOTE: Of course, to use WPT mode, you first have to create a flight plan! Without a flight plan, the only modes available for coupling will be TCN and ILS.
Note the "CPL TCN" or "CPL ILS" on the airplane symbol. To select a Steering Course towards the station, use the CRS bug, and check the small "CSEL" readout on the HSI. By pressing the "CSEL" button on the HSI, instead, you can toggle on/off the visualization of the CRS indication for the HSI.
Pressing A/P button again, will exit from the Autopilot mode.
seaviper:
Thanks for clarifying what should have been in a microsoft PDF or kneeboard page. That Hornet is OUTSTANDING!
mrwatty:
Selecting the Altitude Bug (CTRL+SHIFT+Z) and then Increase or Decrease Selection seems to work for manually tweaking the A/P Altitude. It also works via the MFD on the Saitek X52.
Intrepid:
Mrwatty; hi could you please elaborate a little more on "It also works via the MFD
on the Saitek X-52" Thats the control system I have, and you have lost me there. ::)
Thanks
Randy
mrwatty:
Sorry...got carried away with the old acronyms there :). By MFD I meant the multifunction display on the x52 throttle unit. When you run FSX the display should show a page with COM1 NAV1 etc.
I have the X52 Pro and the with the beta drivers this is automatically done (http://www.saitek.com/uk/down/drivers2.asp), not sure about the X52 non-pro (they are a completely different unit as far as profiles and drivers!!!).
Anyway, assuming you do have the information on the display, the way to get to the autopilot settings is to scroll the left hand black wheel below the display (Pg.up and down) until you see a page showing something like ALT 00000 and VS 00000, to the right of the display by the ALT 00000 there is a small <, push the right hand black wheel to change the cursor to << then you can scroll the wheel up and down to change the autopilot altitude, finally push the right hand wheel again to enter it.
Hope this makes sense, give me a shout if I'm not.
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