Switching vertical AP modes is a bit twitchy
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I think that overall the v1.1 AP is an improvement. Feels smoother. And flight planning with the CDU seems to work much better!
I observed just a minor issue, when switching between vertical AP modes, like for example going from DESCENT to VS mode, even when trying to set the VS pointer as close to the current vertical speed as possible before engaging the VS mode, there is a significant jolt in pitch when the modes switch. And this is noticeable also at times when switching between other vertical modes.
On the other hand, I think that the pitch jolt that was present before v1.1 when capturing selected altitude, when it switched automatically from IAS or VS to ALT, now seems to be gone.So version 1.1 features the custom autopilot implementation? It seems almost impossible given the short amount of time for this update, along with all the other fixes. It is an amazing feat. Please get some rest Nick, or enjoy FSExpo if you are attending
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Sorry for the copy-paste on the autopilot behavior, but I don't want to short-change you on the explanation:
Q1. Copied from an email to a beta tester: "Unfortunately, the vertical speed reactivity does really seem to be at a local maxima due to the canard aerodynamics. I spent a lot of time trying to get some of the functionality that might help alleviate the problem working, but I only confirmed for myself that those settings don't work, despite being documented in MSFS 2020 and 2024. Since we were debating the severity of the issue, I was testing while watching the accelerations. The most severe pitch change I could induce was by commanding -2,000 to +2,000 fpm, which resulted in +/- 0.5 G's. Definitely more than would be comfortable, but at least the items in the cabin are staying on the floor. More reasonable vertical speed changes, like 0 to +1,500 fpm resulted in 0.35 G's."
TL;DR: The autopilot's pitch control needs to be "tight" to maintain stability with MSFS's very limited ability to simulate canards. Any less aggressive, and the aircraft will enter oscillations at very high altitudes. There are some features in MSFS that are supposed to allow me to fine tune this, but they haven't seemed to be working since the release of MSFS.
Thanks! Yes, I participated in the new "build an autopilot controller and rewrite half a flight plan manager in one weekend" challenge. You haven't heard of it?
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Sorry for the copy-paste on the autopilot behavior, but I don't want to short-change you on the explanation:
Q1. Copied from an email to a beta tester: "Unfortunately, the vertical speed reactivity does really seem to be at a local maxima due to the canard aerodynamics. I spent a lot of time trying to get some of the functionality that might help alleviate the problem working, but I only confirmed for myself that those settings don't work, despite being documented in MSFS 2020 and 2024. Since we were debating the severity of the issue, I was testing while watching the accelerations. The most severe pitch change I could induce was by commanding -2,000 to +2,000 fpm, which resulted in +/- 0.5 G's. Definitely more than would be comfortable, but at least the items in the cabin are staying on the floor. More reasonable vertical speed changes, like 0 to +1,500 fpm resulted in 0.35 G's."
TL;DR: The autopilot's pitch control needs to be "tight" to maintain stability with MSFS's very limited ability to simulate canards. Any less aggressive, and the aircraft will enter oscillations at very high altitudes. There are some features in MSFS that are supposed to allow me to fine tune this, but they haven't seemed to be working since the release of MSFS.
Thanks! Yes, I participated in the new "build an autopilot controller and rewrite half a flight plan manager in one weekend" challenge. You haven't heard of it?
@Black-Square thank you for the explanation. Yes, I've read that in another thread. Just thought that now with the custom implementation there could be more freedom to maybe introduce a more gradual onset when engaging the vertical modes?
