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Autopilot

Printed From: Just Flight Forum
Category: Just Flight Products
Forum Name: English Electric Canberra PR.9
Forum Description: In-development area
URL: http://forum.justflight.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=30748
Printed Date: 28 Mar 2024 at 5:58pm


Topic: Autopilot
Posted By: Christopher Low
Subject: Autopilot
Date Posted: 28 May 2016 at 3:13pm
The autopilot seems to be active on this aircraft by default, and I am struggling to find out how to switch it off. Can someone please advise? What I mean  by this is that.....when I try to turn the aircraft after taking off, it is fighting to prevent me from doing it. If I let go of the controls, then it returns to level flight on its own. The puzzling aspect of this is that I am not convinced that the autopilot is active. I mean, it should be OFF in default mode.....right?



Replies:
Posted By: Expire
Date Posted: 31 May 2016 at 1:04pm
Hi.

The autopilot has a push / pull switch on its panel (lower left) to switch it off and on. An indictor light nearby will show all white or black and white stripes when "on" or in "standby". (There is lots more to it than that of course). If you hover the mouse pointer over this switch the "tell tale" will quickly tell you if the autopilot is on or off.

I may have had a similar experience - do you have the Auto Stabiliser and / or the Roll Damper activated. I have a feeling that they caused me problems in the past.

Mike



Posted By: Christopher Low
Date Posted: 31 May 2016 at 4:12pm
Are they active in default mode? I have not switched anything on or off. Can you let me know where they are located?


Posted By: Expire
Date Posted: 31 May 2016 at 4:49pm
In default mode they are all inactive.

The Pilot Notes should be your starting point to find their location. There is no point on me repeating the text from therein. Having said that, these items do not seem to be your problem (if you have actually have one).

I have found her to be far easier to fly at about 70 - 80% RPM than at full revs.


Posted By: Christopher Low
Date Posted: 31 May 2016 at 10:03pm
Quote Having said that, these items do not seem to be your problem (if you have actually have one)


If I actually have one? What's that supposed to mean? If I try to turn after taking off, the aircraft is fighting to resist me. If I let go of the joystick, the aircraft "rebounds" the other way, and then oscillates from side to side until it is once again in level flight. Surely it should turn when I ask it to turn? It feels like an autopilot is fighting me, but I haven't activated the autopilot!

Has anyone else experienced this in the Canberra? I do not understand what is happening Confused


Posted By: ThomasAH
Date Posted: 01 Jun 2016 at 9:58am
I don't have this plane, but some ideas:
1. Maybe it just has a high lateral stability?
2. According to the product page it has "Two different aileron input sensitivity levels for use at high and low altitudes.", maybe it is in the lower-sensitivity mode?



Posted By: Christopher Low
Date Posted: 03 Jun 2016 at 4:00pm
I doubt it has anything to do with that. When I bank the plane, it tries to turn me back the other way. Low sensitivity mode would simply make the aircraft react slower to control inputs. Anyway, I noticed that I had a registry problem with this aircraft after a System Restore, so I uninstalled the plane, and then managed to remove the offending registry entry. I will reinstall it again over the weekend, and see if it was just a glitch.


Posted By: ThomasAH
Date Posted: 03 Jun 2016 at 8:07pm
Originally posted by Christopher Low Christopher Low wrote:

I doubt it has anything to do with that. When I bank the plane, it tries to turn me back the other way.

That is the "lateral stability" I was talking about. I think classic planes planes tend to do that more than modern planes. (and high-wing more than low-wing, but this aircraft is rather in the middle)



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