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Vulcan Auto Pilot

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Martyn View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Martyn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Dec 2018 at 1:25pm
Please rest assured that any remaining issues will be fixed, including the instability with altitude hold mode.

Thanks
Martyn
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Debowing View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Debowing Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Dec 2018 at 4:10pm
Tried v1.04 but the autopilot is still without any authority. In fact, if engaged the plane slowly goes into a shallow irrecoverable dive. I hope for some improvement in v1.05.
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Delta558 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Delta558 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Dec 2018 at 6:48pm
It is not in the bugfix list for v1.04 because it hasn't been fixed. Unfortunately, I have a problem with P3D on my machine and until I can fix that I'm not even going to be able to start looking at the autopilot. Sorry not to be the bearer of better news, but believe me I find it just as frustrating as you!

Cheers,
Paul.
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Gary M View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Gary M Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Jan 2019 at 4:03pm
Appreciate the issues you are having but is the autopilot problem still a consideration and if so any timescales.
For me it's an issue that spoils an otherwise superb rendition of this aircraft.
Regards.
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Delta558 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Delta558 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jan 2019 at 11:36pm
It's definitely going to be sorted, not 'a consideration' but something which will be done. However, I have no timescale on it unfortunately. I'm struggling with a consistent CTD caused by kernelbase.dll in the system32 folder (rather than syswow64) on a 64bit Win7 install Confused. The CTD occurs within about the first ten minutes of loading the sim, which doesn't really give me any time to do much other than get the gear up if I'm lucky!

I'm on the verge of a full re-install of Windows, but that is going to involve a mass of work (probably close on a week around my shifts) before I even look at putting the sim back in just to get to a point where I can do anything with it.

I understand your frustration with this - the Vulcan has always been my favourite aircraft; during development, I've had the opportunity to play with 655 at Wellesbourne, chat with several Vulcan pilots and use all of that to help get it into the sim. I haven't yet managed a full circuit in it since release Cry.

Cheers,
Paul.
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trindade View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote trindade Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jan 2019 at 8:53am
Paul, have you tried to rebuild your P3D CFG file and delete the shaders folder?
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Herky View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Herky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jan 2019 at 3:07pm
Originally posted by Delta558 Delta558 wrote:

It's definitely going to be sorted, not 'a consideration' but something which will be done. However, I have no timescale on it unfortunately. I'm struggling with a consistent CTD caused by kernelbase.dll in the system32 folder (rather than syswow64) on a 64bit Win7 install Confused. The CTD occurs within about the first ten minutes of loading the sim, which doesn't really give me any time to do much other than get the gear up if I'm lucky!

I'm on the verge of a full re-install of Windows, but that is going to involve a mass of work (probably close on a week around my shifts) before I even look at putting the sim back in just to get to a point where I can do anything with it.

I understand your frustration with this - the Vulcan has always been my favourite aircraft; during development, I've had the opportunity to play with 655 at Wellesbourne, chat with several Vulcan pilots and use all of that to help get it into the sim. I haven't yet managed a full circuit in it since release Cry.

Cheers,
Paul.



How refreshing to see honesty!

Hope you get the system crash sorted.

Is the Vulcan sim the same model as FSX? Just a thought, since you mention the 32 folder? I know some devs have to re do sims for 64 bit P3d. Then again LM keep messing around with updates, which causes issues with sim models which previously worked and as a result, the devs have to alter the previously working model?

Best regards
You Tube at HERKY231 or David Herky

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Delta558 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Delta558 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jan 2019 at 5:23pm
Originally posted by trindade trindade wrote:

Paul, have you tried to rebuild your P3D CFG file and delete the shaders folder?


Yes, tried that and no joy. I've bitten the bullet and completely re-installed Windows, P3D and am now running through all the different requirements of  my development tools (specific versions of simconnect, dot net, various C++ redistributables) to allow them to work and interface with the sim; The Event Viewer has never seen so much use! Slowly approaching the point of being able to get into it all again, bear with meWink

Originally posted by Herky Herky wrote:

Is the Vulcan sim the same model as FSX? Just a thought, since you mention the 32 folder? I know some devs have to re do sims for 64 bit P3d


It was happening with every aircraft, for some reason that dll file in the 32bit folder was causing a 64bit sim on a 64bit OS to crashConfused I'm not a computer programmer, so there's probably a very good reason but to me that just seems plain daft - 32bit should not enter into it anywhere.

Anyway, things are heading in the right direction so to get back on topic I should be able to start hunting down the problem. Might allow myself a couple of circuits first, mind . . . .LOL
Paul.
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Delta558 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Delta558 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jan 2019 at 9:00pm
Okay, I've just been flying around on Autopilot in the Vulcan and it seems to hold height quite nicely.

If some of you having the problem could check the following and let me know what you find, it may help track down any issues.

First things to check, bearing in mind the AP needs selections made in two different places -

Autopilot section at rear of fuel tray:
AP power on (one white dolls eye).
R,A and E switches all on (forwards).
Alt/IAS switch to Alt (pointer rearwards) and then middle mouse to raise the switch (i.e. select the chosen function)

MFS selector (centre instrument panel):
Height selected

Autopilot section at rear of fuel tray:
Engage selected (two white dolls eyes).

Secondly, I've copied and pasted my Autopilot section from the Aircraft.cfg file below - it should be unaltered from the release files, but if you could just check that it is identical to your own by opening in Notepad or the like (AP section about 4/5 of the way down, so right towards the end):


[autopilot]
autopilot_available                        = 1
flight_director_available                = 1
default_vertical_speed                  = 1500
autothrottle_available                   = 1
autothrottle_arming_required       = 0
autothrottle_max_rpm                  = 90
autothrottle_takeoff_ga                = 1
pitch_takeoff_ga                           = 8
max_pitch                                     = 20
max_pitch_acceleration                = 1.2
max_pitch_velocity_lo_alt             = 2.0
max_pitch_velocity_hi_alt             = 1.5
max_pitch_velocity_lo_alt_breakpoint       = 20000
max_pitch_velocity_hi_alt_breakpoint       = 28000
max_bank                                     = 18
max_bank_acceleration                = 1.4
max_bank_velocity                       = 2.5
max_throttle_rate                        = 0.1
nav_proportional_control             = 12
nav_integrator_control                 = 0.25
nav_derivative_control                 = 0.05
nav_integrator_boundary            = 2.5
nav_derivative_boundary            = 0
gs_proportional_control               = 25
gs_integrator_control                  = 0.53
gs_derivative_control                   = 0
gs_integrator_boundary              = 0.7
gs_derivative_boundary              = 0

yaw_damper_gain                       = 1
default_pitch_mode                     = 0
default_bank_mode                     = 0
use_no_default_bank                  = 1
use_no_default_pitch                  = 1
yaw_slip_control_gain                 = 0.00
yaw_control_uses_trim                = 0.00


Hopefully, we can get to the bottom of this fairly quickly.
Cheers,
Paul.




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Delta558 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Delta558 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jan 2019 at 1:27am
Just a brief update - here's a vid I cobbled together earlier while looking into the problem. You can see the process of selcting Alt hold, it sits level just above 20,000ft from a climb rate of roughly 4000fpm after a couple of oscillations (remember this is not your modern, precision autopilot that you can engage at any angle. You should really be within a few degrees of the attitude you want to maintain).

The first turn (I have now adjusted to allow 45 degrees of bank in the turn - not in the release version) is hit by winds and you see the autopilot recovering. Later turns remain constant throughout, even at that high bank angle.

Then you see I take it off Alt hold at roughly 300KIAS, engage IAS hold and pull the throttles back (later also popping the airbrakes). This causes the AP to use the pitch mode to control the descent rate based on airspeed.

All of that is in the first seven-and-a-half minutes or so, the last few minutes are just a bit of low-level and landing. Other than adjusting the max bank angle, the autopilot section is as I pasted above.

https://youtu.be/K6Hxn-pgE-Q

Cheers,
Paul.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CavalierDuck Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jan 2019 at 12:59pm
Paul,

Thank you for persevering with this, and commiserations on your PC troubles!

Running Vulcan v1.05 in P3Dv4.3.

I can reproduce what you did in the video, and can confirm the altitude hold works well at ca. 22,000ft, including making turns. But this isn't the problem that I see.

Try doing the same thing as you did in the video, but engage AP/altitude hold at say 8,000ft (a test I just did).  The AP hunts for the altitude, inducing an oscillation of increasing amplitude.  If you leave it to its own devices, the aircraft will eventually destroy itself by either overspeed, stall or ground impact.  Any wind, or a turn, or any other perturbation seems to make it happen faster.

I have never once been able to successfully engage altitude hold at a "low" altitude, but at higher altitudes I have never had a problem doing so.  I level the aircraft and trim before engaging AP/alt hold.

It is interesting to watch the AP elevator servo load gauge while the oscillation is going on.  I see it travel over its full range.  It's like it is over-adjusting, and setting up the oscillation?

Hope this helps, and let me know if there's anything you would like me to test.

Nick
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Gary M View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Gary M Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jan 2019 at 5:29pm
Paul,
thanks for the update - appreciate your efforts with this despite the other issues you have been having.
regards.

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