EH101 - Does it have a GPS/NAV switch?

[LoftyCyborg]

I would like to know if the EH101 panel provided by FSX Gold Acceleration has a GPS/NAV selector switch, or if there is a way to add that to the EH101. I am working toward setting it up to fly on autopilot and slave to the GPS for heading control. I have looked for the switch but cannot find one.

[pete]

The EH101 doesn't seem to have the Nav/GPS switch .....


Having had a look the the panel (VC only) the only way to hold heading that I can see is to use the GPS display then to hold heading - which will involve manual input changes when GPS heading changes (see image)

I could see no way to hold the GPS automatically.



It may be possible to add an autopilot to the VC by editing the panel.conf file with an auopilot from another helicopter or using FS Panel Studio  -- but I would try the 1st suggestion before attempting that

[LoftyCyborg]

Thanks. That was all I could find too. I do have the Cougar "HAP" autopilot installed in the EH101, and one of the nice things that allows is heading hold, as well as other things like radar altitude, speed, and of course, hovering. So I had been going that route, and was hoping to slave in the GPS like we can do on the planes.

But the Cougar (which I first saw in the download for the Eurocopter ES332 from this site's addons) actually has a rather sophisticated NAV system on another control panel which works in conjunction with it. I don't know if it would be possible to also install those controls on a different helicopter, but it might involve a lot, because it has its own NAV screen too, rather than using the typical GPS. Quite a nifty helicopter. I read it is one of the world's most complex models in real life.

Happy flying!

[reider]

All I do is allocate a key on the keyboard as my emergency Nav/GPS Switch.  Set it up from the file menu in FSX.

Steve

[LoftyCyborg]

Thanks for the suggestion! I have a PDF chart that someone posted online which I usually refer to for the default key assignments. But I tend to forget that it is not a "complete" listing. There is no mention on that chart for the NAV1/GPS Toggle, but it is listed in the FSX Control Key assignments. However by default it is unassigned. I just assigned it to F12, which I was not using previously. Now that I can do that, I'll have to try seeing if the EH101 can actually navigate off the GPS.

Edit -

Well, I managed to get the AutoPilot panel into the EH101, but it will not let me turn the Autopilot on. I have "autopilot available" set to "1" instead of 0 in its aircraft.cfg file. However it isn't working. So there must be something about helicopters in FSXA that prevent that AP panel from operating. I can set the altitude and V/S on it, but none of the buttons will light when I click on them like they would in a plane.

The hotkey setting will come in handy in planes though, so I again thank you for the idea. Oddly, the AS350 helicopter I downloaded and have been using even has a NAV/GPS switch, but I don't know why, because it will not follow the GPS heading either when a flight plan is programmed.

Edit again - I spoke too soon! I just managed to get the AS350, with the Cougar "HAP" autopilot I have installed in it, to link to the GPS! It is now following the heading, at the specified altitude and speed. Now I need to see if I can do this in the EH101 (it should work - fingers crossed).

[LoftyCyborg]

The EH101 also will tie the Cougar autopilot to the GPS. And apparently the NAV/GPS switch selection doesn't matter. It seems to stay locked to the GPS as long as the NAV setting is turned on for the Cougar. Perhaps the Cougar automatically senses if there is a GPS flight plan in place and knows to use it? I have not tried it using a NAV frequency yet. This is cool!