Autopilot Engage Problem

edited December 2021 in Customer support
Q400 Cockpit Edition (Not had this problem before with many flights in the pro version)
Before t/o I have GA, HDG and ALT SEL set up.
After t/o I follow the f/d hdg and 10 degrees pitch.
I select IAS 210 and Nav. Stable and engaging the AP.

The plane pitch and bank violently. Unable to recover.
Has anyone experienced this?

Ailerons and Elevators are set up using the majestic
Hardware interface. And in the .ini set to FSX=0
I use dual flight controlls. But everything is working
Ok when handflying from both seats.
It would be strange if something here is causing the problem.

When I see in the V/c I see both yokes go fully forward or backwards when the AP is engaged.
The plane does not follow the F/D but pitch and bank out of controll.

Comments

  • There certsinly seems to be something amiss.

    Have you disable dual control functionality and tested to see if you get the same outcome of erratic behavior when enabling the AP?

    If the erratic behavior still exists then reconfigure the aircraft to default settings and see if you can replicate the issue. If this still persists, I would suggest reinstalling the aircraft also ensuring that the direct x files that are recommended to be installed are allowed to be installed.

    Then start by flying the aircraft in its default configuration, if that is successful then proceed with the 125hz implementation on one side only and test again, if that works then attempt to get the dual control setup and test again.

    Keep us posted.
  • edited December 2021

    Thanks for your reply.
    Here are some news:

    Yoke setup:
    2 x Honeycomb yoke
    Elevator and ailerons setup using the jconf

    Rudder:
    1 x Thrustmaster. Only captain side until i get the second one. At the moment controlled via P3d and works fine.

    So in the .ini file:

    ; Flight Controls positions from FSX
    ElevatorsByFSX=0
    AileronsByFSX=0
    RuddersByFSX=1

    The AP works fine if all input functions below are set to 0. But the yokes only works 50% So I need to set
    the input functions for the elevators and ailerons to = 1 because I have two separate yokes.
    Then the ailerons and and elevators works 100%. But the AP bank and pitch the q400 out of controll.
    When setting everything back to 0, it works again:

    ; 0 AVERAGE (A+B)/2. This setting is for the physically connected columns, 1 SUMM A+B. For the separate flight yokes
    ELEVATORS_INPUTPOS_FUNCTION = 1
    ; Same as above, for the ailerons
    AILERONS_INPUTPOS_FUNCTION = 1
    ; Same as above, for the rudder pedals
    RUDDERPEDALS_INPUTPOS_FUNCTION = 0

  • I did also reinstall + making sure that the direct x files are installed.
    The problem only occur when:
    ELEVATORS_INPUTPOS_FUNCTION = 1
    AILERONS_INPUTPOS_FUNCTION = 1
  • I have now got an extra set of rudder pedals. And wanted to try to set up dual flight controlls again.

    Controls:
    2 x Honeycomb Yoke
    2 x Thrustmaster rudders

    Rudder, elevator and aileron axis set up using the jconf.

    .ini file setup:

    AFCS_FSX_SYNC=0

    ElevatorsByFSX=0
    AileronsByFSX=0
    RuddersByFSX=0

    ELEVATORS_INPUTPOS_FUNCTION = 1
    AILERONS_INPUTPOS_FUNCTION = 1
    RUDDERPEDALS_INPUTPOS_FUNCTION = 1

    I have also set up deflection values for the FO-side as well.

    Everything works fine. The axis works on both sides, and no problems hand-flying.
    AP is set up with GA, HDG, ALT SEL. After t/o, climbing, press NAV and IAS.
    aircraft stable on flight director. Press AP-button. The aicraft pitch and bank violently out of control until AP auto-disconnects. The aircraft is almost unable to recover.

    In default configuration, there is no problems. It also works when only having the captain side configured with 125 Hz.

    I hope I can find a solution to fix this problem.

  • edited March 2022

    Hi larsottof,
    This has been discussed before, between myself and another user, trying to setup dual controls in the Pro version. Our results were the same as yours, only receiving 50% of the travel with the yoke. Both yokes needed to be moved simultaneously to get full aileron/elevator deflection.

    Taken from the Majestic joystick cockpit connector guide.

    Important: If only the single side flight controls are assigned (Captain or FO )
    via the joystick connector, one has to zero the deflections on the opposite side,
    or only 50% of the flight control range will be available.
    ELEVATOR1_DEFLECTION = 0
    AILERON1_DEFLECTION = 0
    RUDDER1_DEFLECTION = 0

    Important: If both sides flight controls are assigned, the physical flight controls
    must be mechanically linked. Q400 flight controls system will take the average
    of both sides, unless the flight controls disconnect handles were pulled.

    By setting the deflection values to 1, it would seem that the Q400 autopilot is sending 200% of the input value to the control surfaces. (ie, Imagine a racecar with massive oversteer)

    Your only choice, using the Honeycomb yokes, may be to set the deflection values to "0".
    Majestic's lead developer, Boss, has commented on this in the past. I believe there may be plans to make it possible to set up dual controls whereby, whichever yoke you touch first, will become the primary controller. Not sure if/when this would be implemented.

    Just my .02cents.
    Cheers, Jax

  • edited March 2022

    @Jax_in_BC said:
    ... I believe there may be plans to make it possible to set up dual controls whereby, whichever yoke you touch first, will become the primary controller. Not sure if/when this would be implemented.

    Another (better?) suggestion for Majestic might be to have the primary controller set to the same side as the HSI selection.
    .
    Majestic-HSI-Selection

  • Thanks to both of you for taking the time to reply.
    Highly appreciated!

    In the .ine file, the comment states the following regarding the INPUTPOS_FUNCTION:

    _0 AVERAGE (A+B)/2. This setting is for the physically connected columns, 1 SUMM A+B. For the separate flight yokes_

    That was the reason I set:
    ELEVATORS_INPUTPOS_FUNCTION = 1
    AILERONS_INPUTPOS_FUNCTION = 1
    RUDDERPEDALS_INPUTPOS_FUNCTION = 1

    And this works fine on both yokes with 100% travel. But this option make the autopilot go crazy. From the comment in the .ini file, it seems like it was intended for us be able to use two separate flight yokes. But there may be a bug? Maybe the Majestic team could make a comment if I read the comment in the .ini file correct: That it states that two separate yokes are possible when setting INPUTPOS_FUNCTION = 1

    If they are set to = 0, you would only get 50% (unless moving both yokes.) But the comment states this is intended for physically connected yokes.

    If it's not possible:
    Could there be a way to use a script or something. To send the axis values from either yoke A or Yoke B based on a state. For example depending on the HSI-select or a custom button.

    Have a nice weekend!

    Lars.

  • edited March 2022

    Hi Lars,

    Those statements that you listed from the Q400 ini file are no longer showing in the latest (v1.024) Training edition update. I'm not sure what that means exactly, but it may hint towards Majestic not wanting customers to toy with it before such time that they can release a fix for the issue. I am only speculating of course, but I do know that Majestic are indeed aware of this dual yokes problem. It has been around since the Pro edition launch.

    Cheers, Jax.

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