Simviation Forums

So I'm testing out my new video card, figuring out which settings effect frame rate, which I can max out, which I need to turn down, etc.

I decided a good test would be a big airport in bad weather.  So I put the default Cessna on the active at JFK.  I play with weather a bit, get something that degrades frame rate, then start playing with resolution, scenery complexity, etc, etc and monitor my frame rates to see the effect.

I find some settings which work and go see how it works in flight.  I take off and everything is fine, I go to roll the plane and...  No aleron control.  I can see the yokes moving in the VC so the sim is definately getting input but the plane isn't reacting.  Thankfully I got a ton of runnway and use the rudder to get her back on the ground safely.  I go to external view and the alerons are moving just barely enough to see.  The yokes are moving like normal, so the joystick was giving input and the sim responding.  But the alerons were done broke.

I checked my failures settings and nothing was on.  Not only that, there were no options to fail the control surfaces.

So what happened here?  Did something ice up? (weather was pretty crazy).  Is this supposed to happen in the sim or is it a glitch?  Seems to work just fine now so it's not a repetitive problem.  Any theories?

Did you check to see if your autopilot was on?

Make sure your De-ice is on in that weather.
But also check to see that the autopilot wasn't engaged accidently.

Autopilot wasn't on.  This was in the Cessna 172 and IIRC enough yoke input and the plane will at least roll a little.  And when I used rudder to line back up with the runway the plane didn't try and correct the course change.  But that would be a good way to cause that symptom.

With the default cessna you can still get movement from using the rudder peddles with the auto pilot on and it will not
try to go back to the orignal course so I think that your auto pilot was on with out your knowledge a accidental key stroke could very well activate the autopilot.  

Was the yellow AP button on the upper left of the C172 panel lit up when this occured?

Even with just the AP on and no hdg hold or nav selected, it still can cause this type of problem.

Hmm....Was the autopilot on?

No wait, nevermind. I, along with several other people now, have already asked that question.....


Please don't take this post seriously. I'm being sarcastic  ::)

..mmm...is it maybe the old chestnut where the wing leveller gets left on even though the AP is apparently off, I wonder?

....Add the following lines in the Autopilot section of the aircraft.cfg file if it isn't already there...if it is there then sorry, dunno....commoner

   use_no_default_bank=1
   use_no_default_pitch=1

I just re-flew the flight with the autopilot on and the symptoms were identical.  I didn't think the AP was on but I guess it was.  Thanks for the help!

Stop doing this before you fly....

Great, now I'm going to have to come up with a whole new pre-flight check list...

Stop doing this before you fly....

Now that gives a WHOLE new meaning to smokin a bone

And she's only 16