Autopilot

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The autopilot setting dialog of FlightGear.

An autopilot (AP) is a mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic system used to guide a vehicle without assistance from a human being. Most people understand an autopilot to refer specifically to aircraft, but self-steering gear for ships, boats, space craft and missiles is sometimes also called by this term.

The autopilot of an aircraft is sometimes referred to as "George".

Autopilot in FlightGear

We have an generic one and especially written ones for a certain aircraft, which should simulate a specific one of the simulated aircraft.

The generic one can be used for aircrafts which hasn't a own written one, and sems to work quite good on Aircrafts using JSBSim. You can set it with the "Autopilot Settings" which you can achieve with F11-Key or in tne menu bar "Autopilot"

In reallife aircrafts has their own programmed autopilot system. Flightgear has the possibility to simulate this correct. So it is possible to write a own autopilot.xml. It can be driven by the autopilot-gui which will you find under MenuBar->Autopilot > Autopilot Settings. Or it can be only driven by keys and/ or hotspots in the virtual cockpit. As an example the SenecaII and the Piper Comanche Autopilots can be only used from the virtual cockpit.

For further informations about programing autopilots in FlightGear look at http://www.flightgear.org/Docs/XMLAutopilot/ and [http://wiki.flightgear.org/flightgear_wiki/index.php?title=Autopilot_Tuning_Resources]

Autopilot Settings

The AP Settings dialog could be found at Autopilot > Autopilot Settings.

Heading control

  • Wings Level: enable this to keep your plane horizontal- ususally used at Go-Arounds.
  • Heading Bug: located on the compass rose of your instrument panel is a movable heading bug, the purple triangles that are pointing at your runways heading (283 for KSFO default). This bug is moved around the rose by setting the Heading Bug. The heading bug can be used several ways. When hand flying the aircraft turn the bug to your desired heading. This way you will have a constant visual reminder. If Air Traffic Control gives you a new heading move the heading bug to the new heading and you have your visual reminder.
  • True Heading: your true heading as shown on the compass (of the HUD) and MP Map.
  • NAV1 CDI Course: used for VOR-by VOR flying like in old days and used with ILS.

Velocity control

  • Speed with Throttle: speed will be regulated to the selected speed by controlling throttle.
  • Speed with Pitch: your plane will be pushed down or up to reach the selected speed. This can not be used during takeoff, landing or low altitude flights. Doing so could cause a crash.

Pitch/Altitude control

  • Vertical Speed: set the speed of vertical climb. Usually used as "feet per minute"
  • Pitch Hold: pitch degrees of your plane. Use a negative number to lower your nose.
  • AoA Hold: The Ange of Attack describes the angle of the wings to direction of the circumfluent air. Very important then the ift of the wing depends on the AoA. A too high AoA let the aircraft stall.
  • Altitude Hold: the desired altitude of your plane in feet (FL1=100 ft, FL25=2500 ft etc.).
  • AGL Hold: The Altitude about Ground Level. Usually the altitude is given about sea level.
  • NAV1 Glideslope: The vertical slope which led the aircraft from the interception point down to Runway level-used only with ILS.

Route manager

The Route Manager in FGFS is something like a very simple FMC- Flight Management Control/ Computer. In FGFS you can input a list of waypoints like NAVAIDS, Fixes and Airports, which the aircrafts flys along. You can also add the altitude which the aircraft should have at acertain waypoint. So it is possible to let the aircraft fly a long route.

In the moment it is not possible to add the velocity or other information.