Autopilot feedback control facility

[Pete Dowson]

Myself and a programmer are looking into this feedback control facility to try to determine if it will be a viable doorway into creating a system where the KIAS or mach value placed will cause the nose to pitch up or down to maintain that reference value. Are you familiar if this facility has been used for that purpose before.

No, sorry.

Example, 250 KIAS is entered in the SPD reference window and instead of the thrust increasing/decreasing to maintain that value, the nose pitches to maintain that referenced speed? This is done on many aircraft that do not feature an auto throttle system.

Yes, but couldn't you do that by using the pitch control feedback facility. That works quite well.

Pete

[Tomlin]

Thanks Pete, that's what Im suspecting (pitch feedback control facility). Now, the part of equating pitch to a forward airspeed at any given amt of thrust...

[Pete Dowson]

Thanks Pete, that's what Im suspecting (pitch feedback control facility). Now, the part of equating pitch to a forward airspeed at any given amt of thrust...

You'd need to monitor the airspeed, of course. The FSUIPC part of the feedback is maintaining the pitch you request. Obviously you wouldn't get the same tight feedback loop, but I think 10-20 mSecs which is easily attained should be fine. There are some external autopilots doing good jobs even over a network (viz Project Magenta, Sim-Avionics and Flight Deck Software).

Regards

Pete

[Tomlin]

Okay, thanks for confirming my suspicion- the programmer has had time to look at this info here in this thread and thinks he's got a solution here for our need.

all the best,

Eric