FS9 Argosy ILS capture problem

[TSR2]

Hi Andy,

You can switch between aircraft like that mate as they all use different commands within the sim to operate the autopilot. It might work with two aircraft which use the same virtual avionics, but not when they are a different as the Convair and the Argosy. That would be like me capturing ILS in the VC10 and switching to the trident and expecting the later to continue from where the VC10 left off, it just doesn't work like that.

I'll give the Argosy another run through soon and let you know how I find it. Out of curiosity, what sim / OS are you running?

[gannet]

Hi

Thanks for your reply.

I'm not complaining about this....I just wish I could understand what I'm trying to do.

Some aircraft have different ways of following on from the previous one, but ?generally they'll follow a radio command, even if the engines stop from fuel starvation etc !

My set-up is FS9.1 on Windows 8 (windowed to let the aircraft show up in the preview pane) I always run through the default Cessna views at KSEA before selecting a flight.

Andy.

[TSR2]

Hi mate,

Sorry, I wasn't saying your complaining Just pointing out that when you change aircraft mid flight, they don't keep going where the other one left off

[gannet]

Hi,

No worries. ..I didn't want anyone involved in the making of the Argosy to think that I was moaning about it, especially as I haven't understood the manual properly !

Cheers,

Andy.

[DaveB]

Hi Andy

When you try and capture the ILS, are you already flying with the AP on (as opposed to flying manually then engaging the AP to capture the beam)?

What I did when I looked at the SEPP2 system on the Argosy last week (I think it was last week!) was to sit on the runway at KSEA and set the aircraft up for flight.. course deviation card set to the runway heading and course heading needle set to the same heading. I then took off and while in the climb, engaged the AP. The aircraft followed the runway heading until I'd reached around 1500ft then I engaged ALT. I turned the aircraft around onto a downwind leg using the heading adjust needle (but left the course deviation card alone at this point). At a suitable point, I turned the aircraft onto a base leg then onto the runway heading using the heading adjust needle. The radios were both set to the ILS freq.. the ILS MI lit to confirm this and both ILS indicator needles became active. When both were centred on the beam, I engaged GLIDE on the AP and the aircraft followed the beam down to the deck
It's good practice NOT to engage GLIDE until both the horizontal and vertical bars are centred.. this applies to a good many aircraft and failure to do so can have the model shooting off, doing it's own thing.. just when you DON'T want that to happen You HAVE to be setup correctly on the glideslope even though with the model, you don't necessarily need to have both radios set to the ILS. This seems contradictory I know and you wouldn't really want to land with only one needle active (ILS freq on Radio 1 only) but.. with only Radio 1 set to ILS, if you're lined up correctly and your approach lights are 2xwhite and 2xred.. hitting GLIDE will still land you 'on the keys' without having Radio 2 set to the ILS

It may all sound very complicated but it's not really. What it is is different

So.. make sure the course deviation card is set to the runway heading.. make sure the heading adjust needle is pointing on the runway heading.. ensure both radios are set to the ILS freq (to get an accurate ILS indication).. wait for your needles to centre then hit GLIDE. Don't wait until you've flown above the vertical beam or you'll fly straight on. Fly into the beam from below and engage GLIDE when the needles are centred

ATB
DaveB

[gannet]

Hi,
Flying the ILS has been erratic and fairly unsafe, but that part I am getting to grips with on the Argosy, even if the passengers aren't . What was/is proving much more interesting and awkward for me is trying to 'capture' and fly a VOR while on our way somewhere. This is what I was trying to explain about in my post.

On David Maltby's Site on page 5 of his Manual on flying the BAC One-Eleven is a very clear example of what I mean, and it is this strange behaviour of the Argosy in turning away from the VOR bearing tuned on the radio and with the distance mileage shown as live on the readout that is confusing me. It may be that I am not aligning the compass correctly, but I would say in my defence m'lud, that I thought tuning to the VOR would over-ride the compass heading !

Andy.

[DaveB]

Hi Andy

Let me go back and have a look I know this may be teaching my granny to suck eggs but are you aware of the 'from/to' switch? Not sure if this would have any effect on what you're trying to achieve. Let me go and have another look anyway

EDIT: Right.. this 'learn/remember as you go' lark isn't good for my health OK. With heading lock engaged.. directional AP control is via the Heading Index Set knob. To fly to a VOR using the radio automatically.. set the VOR freq on Nav1 and you'll see the Nav1 RMI point to the VOR and BEAM appear in the AI (attitude indicator above the HSI). Select BEAM on the AP. This will switch HDG LOCK off (if engaged) and the aircraft will meander toward the VOR. The Heading Index Set control will have no effect as long as BEAM is selected on the AP.. the HSI card control (orange lamp) WILL though so be careful how you tweak it. To be brutally honest.. flying this beast to VOR after VOR on AP isn't as tidy as it would be on a jet. The AP hunts from side to side giving the impression you're flying off course but it settles down. It is important to have the HSI set correctly. When all is said and done.. it's probably easier (and more accurate) flying to a VOR using HDG LOCK.

Incidentally.. on the real SEPP2 system.. the RH knob (which controls the Heading Index on the model) is '2' position.. pushed in to control the HSI card and pulled out to control the Heading Index needle. We don't have this luxury on the model. The orange control on the LH side is (or would be in reality) a comparator warning lamp. Also on the real thing.. the pilots would manually turn the HSI card to the 'next' heading (which they would know as it would be on the flight plan). While many pilots didn't particularly like this system, it was found to be more reliable in poor conditions.. the pilots being more 'focused' than they might otherwise have been on a more 'monkey see, monkey do' system

Hope this makes some sense

ATB
DaveB

[gannet]

Hi,

Thank you for all your assistance.
I will print it out and try to follow what is says!

cheers,

Andy.

[DaveB]

That's probably the best thing to do Andy. For my part.. anything a little 'off the wall' always gets printed off. More often than not, it's only by having a bit of paper in front of me as a reference while I'm fiddling with something on screen that a problem becomes solved.. a last resort granted

ATB
DaveB

[gannet]

Hi,

That has me flummoxed altogether..when I look at the flight map it's like a cat has been playing with a ball of red wool. The aircraft will turn every way but the right one and is quite happy flying 72* or 153* whatever is set!

Perhaps it can only follow a Direct To command via the GPS.

When my brain has cooled down I may set up a VOR only flight plan to try to see out what happens. Even though I do not like the FP line on the map

Andy.