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Resetting altitude for VS hold climb-??

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TurnNburn79 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 10 Sep 2014 at 12:28am
Hello all.

I read the manual and searched the forums and couldn't find anything on this (unless I missed it, entirely possible).

This applies to all the variants that are in the 50-70 package.

When I begin my initial climbout after takeoff, I set the climb rate via the VS wheel as outlined elsewhere in this forum and the airplane follows those parameters with manual control of the throttles of course.

However once you "set" your altitude in place (and it registers in the drum counter next to the VS indicator on the center pedestal), I can't seem to figure out how to "reset" it.

I cannot get the aircraft to climb under VS control anymore; if you try using the VS to climb above the altitude registered in the counter, the plane won't climb but if you are above that altitude it will descend to meet it.

What am I doing wrong? I spend a good amount of time fiddling with the switches including turning the autopilot itself on and off along with the ALT HOLD switch in various combinations. I imagine it's something stupid on my part...


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Pockrtplanesairways View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pockrtplanesairways Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Sep 2014 at 12:42am
Turn off alt hold, climb/descend to desired altitude, and turn alt hold back on. Simple.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TurnNburn79 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Sep 2014 at 2:07am
I understand that part Pockt but let me try to be more clear.

Normally, this is what you do (basically, what you are pointing out):

-Set autopilot.
-Select your vertical speed (ie, 1,200 fpm positive).
-Click on the vertical speed wheel to engage the climb rate of 1,200 fpm. The nose will pitch up.
-Once you get near the altitude you need, roll the VS wheel back to 0000 and the nose will level.

You can then turn the ALT MODE off from the VS wheel by mouse clicking it, and then turn it back on via mouse click and it will be fine.

But...

AFTER you've done the above, let's say you do THIS after leveling off at, say, 10,000 feet:

-Click the ALT SWITCH at the top of the dash OFF (NOT clicking the slider, but the DASH SWITCH)
-Click the ALT SWITCH at the DASH back ON (again, do not click on the VS wheel)
-The 10,000 feet altitude will REGISTER in the drum counter next to the VS rate indicator on the center pedestal. This becomes a "target altitude".

Once you have done this, I CANNOT access the VS climb mode anymore. If you try to ascend to a higher altitude, say 13,000 feet, you cannot do it with the VS climb mode.

In this particular state I am describing, the VS wheel will NOT allow you to roll it to adjust the VS rate UNLESS you turn it OFF.

You can set the VS speed AFTER you turn it off to say, 1,000 fpm positive.

BUT...once you turn it back ON, the VS indicator goes BLANK to "0000" and blocks that mode out.

So in a NUTSHELL, turning off the ALT HOLD switch from the DASH, and then turning it back from the DASH, locks in the current altitude.

This isn't the case when you mouse click from the VS WHEEL.

I cannot figure out how to undo that altitude so that I can engage the VS mode to a climb to a new altitude.

So, my question was, how do you "undo" the process I described?

I am thinking it might be a bug or there is a procedure they did not outline in the manual. I know it sounds confusing, probably something for the developers to look into.


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Pockrtplanesairways View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pockrtplanesairways Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Sep 2014 at 3:24am
Well, I really have no problems with the VS part of the autopilot, other than the fact that I have to switch the mode, like, five times till it turns on.
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TurnNburn79 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TurnNburn79 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Sep 2014 at 3:43am
Thanks for the input Pockrt.

That leads me to think it might be yet another bug (ugh).
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