Autopilot

[Dave]

Hello Pete,

I am encountering a problem which I believe may have something to do with FSUIPC (I have a registered version), or perhaps something interacting with it.

The problem is that the autpilot disengages without warning and for no obvious reason. The disengagement can happen at anytime during a flight from the inital engagement to any other time.

I have tried various configerations of the aircraft (PMDG 737NG) i.e. a completely manual take off bringing the autopilot in to simply follow a heading, to using the FMC programmed with a flight and then using LNav & VNav.

The problem also occurs with other aircraft but the 737NG is my usual bus.

If I have FSUIPC set to default then the problem goes away, if I introduce weather settings such as smoothing then the problem comes back, it seems to occur almost immediaitely when introducing visability constraints.

There are no issues with regard to cabin altitude or FMC conflicts (well I'm 98% certain).

Although I run Radar Contact, Showtext, WeatherSet2, TrafficLook via WideFS and FSMetar, ADVDisplay on the FS machine the problem occurs whether some or all are running or not.

As an aside I have also a problem with the parking brake on all aircraft, it cannot be engaged for mare than a few seconds. I mention this in case there is some link with the above issue.

Anyway, thank you for an excellent set of modules, even set at default FSUIPC is excellent and very well worth the small registration fee. But to eliminate those rogue winds..........ahhh.

Thanks in anticipation

Dave

[Pete Dowson]

If I have FSUIPC set to default then the problem goes away, if I introduce weather settings such as smoothing then the problem comes back, it seems to occur almost immediaitely when introducing visability constraints.

They cannot really have anything at all to do with autopilot. Furthermore the PMDG autopilot is programmed in its own way, completely separately from the FS one, yet you say it "also occurs with other aircraft" -- other aircraft using the FS autopilot itself?

It you have one problem not even really autopilot related how could it possibly affect separately programmed A/Ps with little if anything in common?

Although I run Radar Contact, Showtext, WeatherSet2, TrafficLook via WideFS and FSMetar, ADVDisplay on the FS machine the problem occurs whether some or all are running or not.

If you are running anything at all which uses FSUIPC then you are not really ever getting FSUIPC in what you say is a "default" state.

As an aside I have also a problem with the parking brake on all aircraft, it cannot be engaged for mare than a few seconds. I mention this in case there is some link with the above issue.

Aha! It sounds like you have some bad programming of buttons and a rogue button repeating itself. Or maybe you have dual assignments.

Anyway, thank you for an excellent set of modules, even set at default FSUIPC is excellent

Again that word "default" -- you are using seven or more FSUIPC interfacing programs. There's no such thing as "default". If you mean the user options, the "default" settings are those which are thought sensible, not "no options at all".

I really don't know how you are managing to associate passive filtering actions such as visibility limits with active controls like parking brake and A/P disengagement. Have you proven such an association? If so then something is very badly corrupted somewhere and i would advise completely re-installing FS and the add-ons.

But to me it sounds very much like you have bad button assignments and this is confusing things. Try deleting assignments in FS first, and the [buttons] sections in FSUIPC.INI.

Regards

Pete

[Dave]

Hello Pete,

Sorry for taking so long to reply and thank you for your response.

With reluctance I came to the conclusion that one of your latter comments was probably hitting the nail on the head i.e reinstall FS. Anyway, I am part way through reinstalling and in doing so have identified the cause of one problem.

I have CH Pro analogue pedals installed, these are causing the parking brake problem. I have yet to sort it out but by pressing the toe brakes the parking brake will remain on until it is released or the toe brakes are not engaged. At least I can now try to solve the problem now I understand the cause.

I have yet to load the PMDG 737, currently the auto pilot works with the FS2004 737.

I take on board your comments regarding use of the word Default. I did not use Radar Contact etc when trying to recreate the AP problem and pressed the Default button to bring FSUIPC to the 'sensible' options state. When trying to recreate the problem, it did seem to me that the action that provoked the disengagement of the AP was altering options in FSUIPC, if you say there is no link there that can cause the problem, I fully accept that. If the problem recurrs then at least I can seek a solution in another area knowing FSUIPC is not part of the problem.

I will let you know how I get on with the AP issue.

Thanks once again.

Dave