When activating Automatic pilot

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When activating Automatic pilot

Postby baldomero » Tue Sep 03, 2013 1:06 am

I want to flight from A to VOR of B following a radial (TO or FROM the VOR it's not here the matter). I enter the freq. of VOR in NAV and in AP NAV and the ALT said by ATC. Set AP and put OFF. I start flying and obviously I'm not in the radial desired. Here are two possibilities:
a) I put on VOR1 the radial I desire and in HDI I change my bearing to intersect the radial and to get the needle centered and THEN, and just THEN I put the automatic pilot.
or b) I activate the AP (with NAV active) and leave that AP make all the word of changing bearing in order to get the needle centered (= intersect the radial and follow it).
What should be done? Thank you.
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Re: When activating Automatic pilot

Postby Fozzer » Tue Sep 03, 2013 2:37 am

...Tutorial...>> http://www.wikihow.com/Navigate-Using-a-VOR

Tip: Load up the default Cessna 172 Trainer for practice, using the Bendix-King Radio Stack for Communication and Navigation.

Paul....Radio Navigation is fun!...
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Re: When activating Automatic pilot

Postby baldomero » Tue Sep 03, 2013 6:19 am

Your answer doesn't refer absoluteily to automatic pilot that was my question. I have that article and many others about VOR, but my question, again, refers to automatic pilot.
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Re: When activating Automatic pilot

Postby tinpusher » Tue Sep 03, 2013 1:02 pm

baldomero wrote:I want to flight from A to VOR of B following a radial (TO or FROM the VOR it's not here the matter). I enter the freq. of VOR in NAV and in AP NAV and the ALT said by ATC. Set AP and put OFF. I start flying and obviously I'm not in the radial desired. Here are two possibilities:
a) I put on VOR1 the radial I desire and in HDI I change my bearing to intersect the radial and to get the needle centered and THEN, and just THEN I put the automatic pilot.
or b) I activate the AP (with NAV active) and leave that AP make all the word of changing bearing in order to get the needle centered (= intersect the radial and follow it).
What should be done? Thank you.

Hi.

Option a) is the standard opeational procedure.
Regards.
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Re: When activating Automatic pilot

Postby baldomero » Sat Sep 07, 2013 5:12 am

Thanks for your answers. For everybody so ignorant as I am, I mention a page where this question is explained not trying it.
The article is named: "Fly using VOR and land using ILS"; really whould be named "Fly using VOR and land using ILS using AP when it should". It all is explained very clearly. Here is the address:
http://www.zenophotos.com/Articles/Vor_Ils/VORILS.html
And sorry for my "word" instead of "work". :oops:
Regards.
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Re: When activating Automatic pilot

Postby Staiduk » Fri Apr 25, 2014 4:00 am

Well; this is many months old; but my suggestion would be this:

TURN OFF THE FREAKIN' AUTOPILOT ALREADY!!!!

You want to learn to fly? OK then - LEARN TO FLY.

The Autopilot is there for experienced pilots to reduce their workload in the cockpit. Nothing more. If you haven't the skills to navigate a craft from A to B without the autopilot; you have no business being behind the yoke. That's the benefit of MFS; you have the opportunity to train without complication.
Learn how to fly FIRST. THEN learn how to use the autopilot. Your skills will thank you.
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Re: When activating Automatic pilot

Postby Fozzer » Fri Apr 25, 2014 5:56 am

Staiduk wrote:Well; this is many months old; but my suggestion would be this:

TURN OFF THE FREAKIN' AUTOPILOT ALREADY!!!!

You want to learn to fly? OK then - LEARN TO FLY.

The Autopilot is there for experienced pilots to reduce their workload in the cockpit. Nothing more. If you haven't the skills to navigate a craft from A to B without the autopilot; you have no business being behind the yoke. That's the benefit of MFS; you have the opportunity to train without complication.
Learn how to fly FIRST. THEN learn how to use the autopilot. Your skills will thank you.


Fantastic reply!

That was my reason in replying in my previous post, and suggesting practice on the default Cessna 172, and using the wonderful, full, Bendix-King Radio Stack.

After a short while you get to realise just how easy it is to navigate by Radio...and it can be so much fun!

All you need is something like "Plan-G*", or "FS Tramp**" maps, which list all the Radio Nav Frequencies in your location/area, to dial into your Radio!

...and the Flight Simulators handle it so well...I reckon!

Sorted!

...but first... learn how to navigate Without the radios.... :D ...!

Paul....Requesting "Flight Following".... :mrgreen: ...!

* http://www.tasoftware.co.uk/

** http://www.fstramp.com/
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Re: When activating Automatic pilot

Postby Staiduk » Sat Apr 26, 2014 6:49 pm

(Chuckle) I really do think that FS flight is too easy; it has all the bells and whistles you don't need when learning. I love reading posts about how hard it is to get the Cub off the ground etc.

Sure; the Cub or the 172 aren't as sexy as the alumitubes or the other advanced aircraft in FSX, but they're where you learn the facts of flight.
Personally, I go into the .cfg file for all my 'simple' aircraft and disable the autopilot - it's nothing but a distraction. :)

Cheers!
Last edited by Staiduk on Sat Apr 26, 2014 6:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: When activating Automatic pilot

Postby Staiduk » Sat Apr 26, 2014 6:53 pm

Fozzer wrote:
Staiduk wrote:All you need is something like "Plan-G*", or "FS Tramp**" maps, which list all the Radio Nav Frequencies in your location/area, to dial into your Radio!

...and the Flight Simulators handle it so well...I reckon!

** http://www.fstramp.com/


Or you can do what I do - go to your local FBO and pick up a local air chart, they're what - three to five bucks? Best way to learn is to go to the source; and nothing beats using the tools we as real pilots employ on a daily basis ;)

Cheers!
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Re: When activating Automatic pilot

Postby PhantomTweak » Sat Apr 26, 2014 11:40 pm

You mean the planes, they can fly themselves??? All alone?? No supervision??? HOLY CATS!!! Who'd've thunk it?? :o :o
Do you push a button and a handsome, debonaire, inflatable person blows up and takes over??
wooooooowwwwww! If I ever saw my plane trying to do something I hadn't told it to, I would think it was haunted! :naughty: :pray: Bail out and call an excorsist!! Let the professionals handle it! :pray:

All sarcasm aside, it's an easy matter to disable the autopilot in the aircraft.cfg file, simply changing a 1 to a 0. you can change it back later, should you choose, but till then, u won't be able to use it even if you want! Removes all temptations :D

Anyway, good luck, and happy flights to all!!
Pat☺
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Re: When activating Automatic pilot

Postby Staiduk » Sun Apr 27, 2014 1:38 am

(Chuckle) Not sure who you're railing against; Phantom. Any aircraft in FSX can be flown without Otto if the player has the requisite skills; my suggestion (whick backs up Fozzer's long-standing advice) is for newcomers to select simple aircraft and learn to fly without the goodies.

If you can fly a Cub; you can fly a C-172. (Because an easier aircraft to fly has probably not been built yet.) If you can fly a Cessna; you can fly a Beaver. And if you can fly a DeHavilland; you can at least figure out the larger alumitubes in the game. But your skills start with the simple planes.
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Re: When activating Automatic pilot

Postby PhantomTweak » Sun Apr 27, 2014 4:05 am

Absolutely agree with you! Having said that, even the 172 has an autopilot. Me, I just keep the AP in most planes for the yaw Damper effect, other than that I don't use it on any aircraft.

Just me, that's all :)
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Re: When activating Automatic pilot

Postby Staiduk » Sun Apr 27, 2014 4:39 am

PhantomTweak wrote:Absolutely agree with you! Having said that, even the 172 has an autopilot. Me, I just keep the AP in most planes for the yaw Damper effect, other than that I don't use it on any aircraft.

Just me, that's all :)
Pat☺



In FS; they do. In 32 years of flight I've yet to fly one (barring a friends Apache) that had Otto onboard. Just personally; I'd prefer Julie Hagerty over Otto any day (Ohh; don't tell me you missed THAT reference! LOL!)
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Re: When activating Automatic pilot

Postby Fozzer » Sun Apr 27, 2014 4:54 am

My all-time favourite aeroplane for learning how to fly is the trusty Cessna 150/152....

...and when it comes to radio navigation, I love the simple "Non-Directional Beacons", (NDB's)..!
(Its a shame that they are now being shut down in favour of GPS devices)... :( ...!
I tune my radio to them, and follow the comforting little yellow arrow on my ADF indicator gauge....

My local airfield has one right next to the Tower, and I know that wherever I go, (providing that it is within range), it will always guide me back home again...safe and sound!.....I like "Safe and Sound!"...... :D ...!

The Radio Beacons (VOR and NDB) are very useful if you/me are in any danger of getting lost...or confused!... :D ...!

I am a bit of a cheat, but with money no object.... :whistle: ....., I have installed a full Bendix-King Radio Stack in both my Cessna 150 and 152 Trainers...(and even my Microlight, etc, Aircraft!).
...and I love radio-navigating...with a little help from Air Traffic Control...and Flight Following!...So much fun...and good practice!

Of course...I can always switch my radio off...and fly...properly!... :lol: ... :lol: ...!

Paul...never in danger of getting lost...trust me!... :lol: ...!
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Re: When activating Automatic pilot

Postby Staiduk » Sun Apr 27, 2014 5:15 am

Ahhh; but are you in danger of getting lonely? That's what the lovely Julie's for. ;)
(snicker)
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