After updating to the latest version of the Q400 PRO, v1.024, I noticed that disconnecting the autopilot did not play the aural disconnect sound. So I asked the exact same question. I have provided a link to that thread below. The thread is long, so I will summarise here ...
Majestic provided timely and excellent responses to each post and each question I asked in the thread, but I never really got a definitive answer as to why the sound did not play. Suffice to say, based on the responses and running tests related to those, I worked out that if the "AP" button on the glareshield panel is used, no sound plays, but if the "A/P DIS" button on the yoke is used, the sound does play. This had changed from the previous version of the Q400 PRO where a sound played whenever either button was pressed.
So, whilst I prefer to toggle the autopilot off and on using the "AP" button on the glareshield, which is what I have always done, I ended up having to change my behaviour to now using the "A/P DIS" button on the yoke. Therefore, I programmed a joystick button on my joystick to "press" the "A/P DIS" button on the yoke. As a result, the aural disconnect sound now does alway play for me when this button is pressed. The only issue I have with this, is that by using the "A/P DIS" button on the yoke, via my programmed joystick button press, I lose the ability to toggle the autopilot on and off via my joystick. It's something that I'll simply have to get used to.
"Listed below are the fixes/changes implemented for each version/edition: PILOT & PRO Editions
AFCS: No aural warning will be given if AP disengaged via AP button"
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And, the plot only thickens ...
Bombardier's own manuals for the Q400 seem to imply that an aural disconnect sound should play whenever the autopilot is disconnected. To me, that suggests a sound plays regardless of which button is used to disconnect it. In the thread I linked above, I provided a screenshot of that section from the manual.
In an effrort to substantiate this once and for all, I turned to an airline hostess contact I have in the industry who flies weekly on the Q400. She asked pilots about the autopilot disconnect sound in the Q400. Suprisingly, pilots stumbled at the question and were unable to give an immediate answer. So they suggested they would test it in flight. They had to wait for a "clear air" flight to do the test as they are reluctant/not allowed to disconnect the autopilot in anything other than smooth or clear air flight. When she got back to me, the result was interesting. It turns out that on some Q400s, the sound plays regardless of which button is pressed. However, on other Q400s, the sound does not play when the "AP" button is used on the glareshield ... but does play when the "A/P DIS" button is pressed on the yoke. In other words, it seems that the sound does not play when the "AP" button is used on later model Q400s, or ones which had recently undergone avionics upgrades.
So it would appear that Majestic is correct in its simulation of the autopilot disconnect sound ... but only if we assume we are flying a late model Q400, or one which has recently received avionics upgrades.
Comments
After updating to the latest version of the Q400 PRO, v1.024, I noticed that disconnecting the autopilot did not play the aural disconnect sound. So I asked the exact same question. I have provided a link to that thread below. The thread is long, so I will summarise here ...
Majestic provided timely and excellent responses to each post and each question I asked in the thread, but I never really got a definitive answer as to why the sound did not play. Suffice to say, based on the responses and running tests related to those, I worked out that if the "AP" button on the glareshield panel is used, no sound plays, but if the "A/P DIS" button on the yoke is used, the sound does play. This had changed from the previous version of the Q400 PRO where a sound played whenever either button was pressed.
So, whilst I prefer to toggle the autopilot off and on using the "AP" button on the glareshield, which is what I have always done, I ended up having to change my behaviour to now using the "A/P DIS" button on the yoke. Therefore, I programmed a joystick button on my joystick to "press" the "A/P DIS" button on the yoke. As a result, the aural disconnect sound now does alway play for me when this button is pressed. The only issue I have with this, is that by using the "A/P DIS" button on the yoke, via my programmed joystick button press, I lose the ability to toggle the autopilot on and off via my joystick. It's something that I'll simply have to get used to.
Here is a link to that thread: http://majesticsoftware.com/forums/discussion/1319/autopilot-disconnect-sound-in-1-024
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But wait, there's more ...
A week or so after the thread above had come to its conclusion, Majestic wrote a "Changelog" thread about the Q400 PRO, 1.024 version.
http://majesticsoftware.com/forums/discussion/1323/2022-updates-for-new-installers-pilot-v1-023-pro-training-cockpit-v1-024
A line in that thread reads:
"Listed below are the fixes/changes implemented for each version/edition: PILOT & PRO Editions
AFCS: No aural warning will be given if AP disengaged via AP button"
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
.
And, the plot only thickens ...
Bombardier's own manuals for the Q400 seem to imply that an aural disconnect sound should play whenever the autopilot is disconnected. To me, that suggests a sound plays regardless of which button is used to disconnect it. In the thread I linked above, I provided a screenshot of that section from the manual.
In an effrort to substantiate this once and for all, I turned to an airline hostess contact I have in the industry who flies weekly on the Q400. She asked pilots about the autopilot disconnect sound in the Q400. Suprisingly, pilots stumbled at the question and were unable to give an immediate answer. So they suggested they would test it in flight. They had to wait for a "clear air" flight to do the test as they are reluctant/not allowed to disconnect the autopilot in anything other than smooth or clear air flight. When she got back to me, the result was interesting. It turns out that on some Q400s, the sound plays regardless of which button is pressed. However, on other Q400s, the sound does not play when the "AP" button is used on the glareshield ... but does play when the "A/P DIS" button is pressed on the yoke. In other words, it seems that the sound does not play when the "AP" button is used on later model Q400s, or ones which had recently undergone avionics upgrades.
So it would appear that Majestic is correct in its simulation of the autopilot disconnect sound ... but only if we assume we are flying a late model Q400, or one which has recently received avionics upgrades.