Inability to autoland in crosswind.

[gsumner]

Guys,
I have chosen this forum to air my problem as I understand it to be visited by some of the more seasoned simmers who inderstand the internal workings of FSX.

I am using SimAvionics software to drive my JetMax 737NG. A very impressive peice of software. Unfortuately I am experiencing problems autolanding whenever  a crosswind is present even just a few knots is enough.

The aircraft follows the ils perfectly until about 800ft agl. Then the ils moves off to one side and the Flight Director seems to do nothing to correct it. If I hand fly the approach, following the ILS, I can hit the runway dead center every time so we are not looking at localiser position problems or scenery issues. As I say its only when a crosswind component is present. If left to autoland the aircraft lands at the side of the runway the wind is coming from. Its almost as if its being steered against the crosswind at too steep and angle.

So let me tell you what Ive tried.
Ive used fsx own live weather function as well as ASN and now ASN16. Ive even set up my own weather conditions within Sim Avionics software suite. All having the same effect on my aircraft. I have deleted FSUIPC.ini and generated a new one and made sure FSUIPC is not altering the weather in any way.

I have been on SimAvionics forum where Mark the develeoper has helped as much as possible. He believes FSX is reporting the weather incorrectly. 
Here is how Mark explained what he thinks is happening :-

The reported winds coming from FS are wrong. 
The A/P can only fly the aircraft based on data it receives, and it's receiving invalid data from FS. 

I think this is why you're the only one seeing this. 

I would focus on your FS installation. 
Check for any addon modules or programs. 
Disable as much as possible in your dll.xml and exe.xml 

Install the latest FSUIPC... 

Ensure FSUIPC is just using the default weather settings. 

After loading your initial flight, Clear ALL FS Weather, then Load the "Fair Weather" scheme in FS... (Incase something has been saved in your default flight.) 

Initially, has anyone else had a problem like this. Im not quite sure where to start looking as Ive never delved into any of the dll.xml or exe.xml and to be honest Im not sure what they are or how to check them.

Can anyone help

Graham
 

[Pete Dowson]

The wind effective at the aircraft is the one shown at the top of the screen when you use Shift+Z. Compare that with the wind indicated on your ND by your SimAvionics software. It should be the same, and it should be what it is using.

I've never used SimAvionics, but I have used other such packages -- Project Magenta for years, and now Prosim737 for that last two years. Both have always given good precise autolands, with maybe sometimes the only problem being a tendency to 'flare' too much a float a bit before touching down.

Of course gusty weather will mess things up, as will any sort of turbulence whether caused in the weather or by aircraft landing in front of you. Short lived changes in the wind won't show on the read-outs on the ND etc, but will have an effect. Weather apps like AS are quite good at providing this sort of weather phenomena, but ASN and AS16 also have a facility for fixing the wind at the aircraft which you could try.

I note that you also say the flight director does nothing when the ILS needle moves to one side. That is suspicious. Surely, that IS the flight director indication? If it suddenly moves off it sounds like it is changing course abruptly, which suggests either a wind direction change (which the A/P should at least attempt to compensate for) or some data anomaly such as the runway direction or the magnetic variation (though I don't see how it could suddenly read a different value if it acquired the correct centreline and direction earlier).

Pete

 

[gsumner]

Thanks Peter,

 

Ive just set the weather to 310@10 using sim avionics own server function. Shift Z revealed 310@10 as did the ND. 

 

Theres nothing wrong in my opinion with my weather generation or ILS positions in my scenery. The only thing wrong seems to be the lack of interest in the flight director which seems to go dead at about 800Ft AGL.

 

I seem to be reaching the end of options but to just suffer this until someone else reports a problem.For now Ive reported this back to the Sim Avionics forum.

 

I just posted here to see if  anyone could suggest something to look for.

 

Thanks

Graham