Control Wheel movement w/ Autopilot

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Les Parson
Staff Sergeant
Posts: 285
Joined: 13 Sep 2009, 10:41
Location: Woodlands, Texas

Control Wheel movement w/ Autopilot

Post by Les Parson »

Greetings,

Can someone explain how control wheel/yoke movement in sync with autopilot works? To be more specific, some aircraft like A2A (e.g. Bonanza, C182) and X-Plane 11 default aircraft support enhanced realism by employing control wheel movement in sync with the autopilot. For example, if AP is on and in HDG or NAV mode, the control wheel turns as required, in sync with AP HDG/NAV commands. I appreciate this level of realism however most simulations do not include this detail.
I'm curious if this feature is something than can be added or is it a feature that must be modeled during the development stage. I suspect the answer is the latter. From my experience in P3D/X-Plane 11, few developers include this level of realism and I'm simply interested in how it all works.

Many thanks.

GaryRR
Staff Sergeant
Posts: 353
Joined: 26 Dec 2020, 22:32
Location: KSEG Selinsgrove, PA

Re: Control Wheel movement w/ Autopilot

Post by GaryRR »

Les Parson wrote: 09 May 2022, 08:28 Greetings,

Can someone explain how control wheel/yoke movement in sync with autopilot works? To be more specific, some aircraft like A2A (e.g. Bonanza, C182) and X-Plane 11 default aircraft support enhanced realism by employing control wheel movement in sync with the autopilot. For example, if AP is on and in HDG or NAV mode, the control wheel turns as required, in sync with AP HDG/NAV commands. I appreciate this level of realism however most simulations do not include this detail.
I'm curious if this feature is something than can be added or is it a feature that must be modeled during the development stage. I suspect the answer is the latter. From my experience in P3D/X-Plane 11, few developers include this level of realism and I'm simply interested in how it all works.

Many thanks.
I don't even fly with the VC Yoke showing. I have a physical one to use. But really, I never even paid any attention to that detail.

GaryRR
Staff Sergeant
Posts: 353
Joined: 26 Dec 2020, 22:32
Location: KSEG Selinsgrove, PA

Re: Control Wheel movement w/ Autopilot

Post by GaryRR »

Les Parson wrote: 09 May 2022, 08:28 Greetings,

Can someone explain how control wheel/yoke movement in sync with autopilot works? To be more specific, some aircraft like A2A (e.g. Bonanza, C182) and X-Plane 11 default aircraft support enhanced realism by employing control wheel movement in sync with the autopilot. For example, if AP is on and in HDG or NAV mode, the control wheel turns as required, in sync with AP HDG/NAV commands. I appreciate this level of realism however most simulations do not include this detail.
I'm curious if this feature is something than can be added or is it a feature that must be modeled during the development stage. I suspect the answer is the latter. From my experience in P3D/X-Plane 11, few developers include this level of realism and I'm simply interested in how it all works.

Many thanks.
I don't even fly with the VC Yoke showing. I have a physical one to use. But really, I never even paid any attention to that detail.

alioth
Senior Airman
Posts: 161
Joined: 01 Feb 2017, 17:05

Re: Control Wheel movement w/ Autopilot

Post by alioth »

Les Parson wrote: 09 May 2022, 08:28 Greetings,

Can someone explain how control wheel/yoke movement in sync with autopilot works? To be more specific, some aircraft like A2A (e.g. Bonanza, C182) and X-Plane 11 default aircraft support enhanced realism by employing control wheel movement in sync with the autopilot. For example, if AP is on and in HDG or NAV mode, the control wheel turns as required, in sync with AP HDG/NAV commands. I appreciate this level of realism however most simulations do not include this detail.
I'm curious if this feature is something than can be added or is it a feature that must be modeled during the development stage. I suspect the answer is the latter. From my experience in P3D/X-Plane 11, few developers include this level of realism and I'm simply interested in how it all works.

Many thanks.
I am not a pilot, but I will try to explain the few a know about it.
In most real world GA aircraft, the trim wheel is connected (aerodynamic connection at least) with yoke system: when you move the wheel you get a new "center" position of the yoke
And the way you trim in real world is: move and sustain forward or backward until the plane flys straight. Then trim until you feel there is no force in the yoke.
It can not be done with standard joysticks in simulators, because joysticks only have one "no force" position in the middle.
So, in simulators you usually have a joystick in the middle, and a pair of push buttons or a pot that apply an offset (trim value in simulator) to the elevator value.
The AP usually moves the trim value to get ascent or descent at fpm rated.

If you want a more like-real simulator. You need:
Force feedback yoke that can move its center position.
Trim wheel with motor that can be rotated manually when AP is Off, and automatic when AP is ON.
As this is very rare in standard hardware setups, developers have to code things in order to work with static joysticks and static trim wheels.

You can see this is a problem when there are specific trim software just to do this more "like real" thing, like Fs force trim system (which can be used if you have force feedback joystick or yoke), or RealTrim Professional.

So, there is no perfect solution, because it depends on hardware used.

Just trying to give you a little of info. I am not an expert, but you can get the idea.

Arturo.

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