Author Topic: Autopilot and Radio explainations  (Read 163374 times)

virtuali

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Autopilot and Radio explainations
« on: October 27, 2007, 03:16:11 pm »
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.

« Last Edit: May 11, 2008, 12:59:21 am by virtuali »

seaviper

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Re: Autopilot and Radio explainations
« Reply #1 on: October 28, 2007, 10:53:38 pm »
Thanks for clarifying what should have been in a microsoft PDF or kneeboard page. That Hornet is OUTSTANDING!

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mrwatty

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Re: Autopilot and Radio explainations
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2007, 07:48:51 pm »
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

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Re: Autopilot and Radio explainations
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2007, 02:07:06 am »
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
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mrwatty

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Re: Autopilot and Radio explainations
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2007, 11:21:25 pm »
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.

BlakTiger47

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Re: Autopilot and Radio explainations
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2007, 03:33:04 pm »
Hi mrwatty. about manually selecting the altitude bug. how do u increase or decrease it once u have selected it. i've been trying to map the increase and decrease buttons to my joystick buttons but i cant seem to find what its listed as.
Thanks
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mrwatty

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Re: Autopilot and Radio explainations
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2007, 07:55:51 pm »
The Toggle buttons on the Throttle unit (T1,T2,T3) work really well for me for the autpilot stuff. I did it by mapping the T1 toggle button to = (increase selection) on the up button and - (decrease selection) on the down button. I also mapped T3 down button to CTRL+SHIFT+H (heading bug select) and T3 up to CTRL+SHIFT+Z (altitude bug select). Then you can just select either the heading or altitude bugs on T3 and use T1 to alter the value. I use T2 up and down mapped to the GPS zoom in and out.

BlakTiger47

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Re: Autopilot and Radio explainations
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2007, 11:37:39 pm »
So what are the increase altitude and decrease altitude buttons listed as in the Controls> Buttons list?
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Intrepid

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Re: Autopilot and Radio explainations
« Reply #8 on: December 03, 2007, 11:03:36 pm »
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.
Thanks for the info  8) unfortunatly  "for me " I have the X-52 non-pro and apparently there is  no way to change the display  on the throttle to match the  X-52 pro :'(
Randy

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Re: Autopilot and Radio explainations
« Reply #9 on: January 04, 2008, 03:17:46 am »
So, I read, and am able to use, the COM features, but haven't figured out how to dial in NAV freq, yet.  In other words, if I want to dial in an ILS freq, so that I may shoot that approach, how is it done? 

virtuali

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Re: Autopilot and Radio explainations
« Reply #10 on: January 04, 2008, 01:11:48 pm »
In other words, if I want to dial in an ILS freq, so that I may shoot that approach, how is it done?

You need to be in ILS or TCN mode before dialing, and you can set a frequency either by dialing the frequency directly (just like the com radio) or by selecting a channel.

Yxin

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Re: Autopilot and Radio explainations
« Reply #11 on: January 06, 2008, 02:00:05 pm »
Sorry for bumping this thread, but i still dont get it.
When i go to tacan mode, and dial in the freq. to a nearby VOR, nothing happens.
When i start a flight, navs default is 113.70, and that one shows up on the HSI. When i go to tacan mode, there are : before T/R and X. When i clear it, and set i.e 113.85, wich is a close VOR, the : before the X switches to Y, and refuses to go back to X, and nothing more happens. Same thing in ILS mode. Nothing happens.
And how on earth do you adjust the heading bug?

I thought i had a fairly good grasp on these things, but now im really at a loss.

Would be grateful for any help.

OBTW: Beacon and coms work just fine.

EDIT: found the heading and course buttons "blush". But still not able to get any VORs in.
« Last Edit: January 06, 2008, 04:35:19 pm by Yxin »

fael097

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Re: Autopilot and Radio explainations
« Reply #12 on: January 20, 2008, 05:04:22 pm »
hey virtuali, on the other thread http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=310.0 you said that you'd need a not implemented mechanism to make RALT work right.
well, i guess i misunderstood how the RALT is supposed to work, when you said "There's no way to manually pre select a different altitude" i thought you couldnt do that because thats what RALT would do, and it is not working, but i guess i was wrong. so i was wondering if you could please write a brief explanation of how would RALT work please
thanks much.

ps.: i thought this thread would be more appropriate to this question
« Last Edit: January 20, 2008, 05:09:56 pm by fael097 »

virtuali

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Re: Autopilot and Radio explainations
« Reply #13 on: January 20, 2008, 05:09:51 pm »
RALT is simply Autopilot keeping a constant altitude based on Radar-Altitude, comparing to the standard FS AP Altitude mode, that always locks on Barometric Altitude (BALT).

In both cases, there's no altitude preselection, it's just that BALT is depending on the Barometric readout (hence, it only changes with changing of pressure), were RALT keeps changing to chase the terrain elevation, keeping the airplane at a constant distance from ground. RALT, of course, is not simulated, for the said reason we can't read ground altitude in advance, but only just below the airplane, when it would be to late to correct, especially at high speed.


fael097

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Re: Autopilot and Radio explainations
« Reply #14 on: January 20, 2008, 05:14:39 pm »
ahhh now i got it
thanks

that reminds me one of the f-22 games, when u press L and it keeps you heading foward, and avoiding the mountains automatically (keeping you at some distance from the ground, in that case, the mountains) lol