X-Plane 12 A330 Auto Pilot Questions

[Hotshot10101]

I am a long time flight simmer having many versions of x-plane over the years. Usually I just fly small aircraft.

Recently I decided I wanted to try my hand at airliners.

I am flying the stock A330 that comes with x-plane 12.

I am not sure it affects my questions, but will mention that I fly in VR using a Quest 2.

I am having some trouble understanding the way the auto pilot is behaving. I have watched several videos and tutorials on the MCDU / FMC and the auto pilot and how to use it.

It seems pretty straight forward, but doesn't act the way I expect sometimes.

I usually start cold and dark and go through the startup sequence. I do the exact same steps and flight as I try to learn and apply without changing anything about what goal.

The summary is that I start at the ramp in KOGD. I set up a flight to use the runway 03 departure to MOINT. I set the altitude to 8000 because I plan to come right back in to KOGD and that is the altitude for the first approach fix of JOSIF.

I set all of the autopilot settings so that they are - - - - with the circle to the right of them except the altitude doesn't show - - - it shows 8000, but still has the circle.

It is my understanding that this is how you set it up so that it will follow whatever is in the MCDU.

Remember I am self taught and new, so I could be wrong about all of this...

I have the auto throttle turned on and the light on it is green.

My plan is that as soon as I have a positive rate of climb I will engage the autopilot and I expect it to then take me to MOINT.

I then hit the DIR button and choose JOSIF. The plan is to then have the autopilot take me to JOSIF at which point I will hit the APPR button to have the autopilot shoot the approach for me.

Once I hit JOSIF I will change the altitude to 6000 for WULFE. I expect the AP to take me to WULFE and descend automatically and keep the airspeed at the right value depending on how I configure the aircraft (flaps, gear, etc). I bring the flaps in a little at a time and drop the gear close to WULFE.

I expect the AP to be in control the whole time until I hit decision height at which point I will disconnect it and land.

Here is what actually happens:

I get several hundred feet up and hit the AP1 button. The green light comes on and the aircraft starts to turn and continues to climb. Then most of the time the AP just disconnects and I have no idea why.

I try to reengage it and sometimes it works for a few seconds and sometimes not. Once it actually got me turned towards MOINT, but then disconnected again.

That is my first question. Why can't this thing fly the departure for me?

I usually end up just hand flying to HDR flying to MOINT.

Once near there I hit DIR and choose JOSIF. This usually works and gets me to JOSIF.

I then hit the APPR button and that seems to keep me on track, but doesn't really keep the speed right.

Recently I did realize that I had to make sure the throttle is set between the lines that say A / Throttle. Before I thought it would work no matter where and usually left it in the TOGA position from take off. Lesson learned.

But on approach it doesn't seem to keep the plane at the right speed. I have to manually change the throttle even though the auto throttle light is always green.

If I manually change the throttle and keep the speed in check it usually can get me to WULFE, but then the AP starts disconnecting without any reason I can think of.

I have never made a successful approach and landing yet, so I am writing here for some tips.

 

[mjrhealth]

10 hours ago, Hotshot10101 said:

I am a long time flight simmer having many versions of x-plane over the years. Usually I just fly small aircraft.

Recently I decided I wanted to try my hand at airliners.

I am flying the stock A330 that comes with x-plane 12.

I am not sure it affects my questions, but will mention that I fly in VR using a Quest 2.

I am having some trouble understanding the way the auto pilot is behaving. I have watched several videos and tutorials on the MCDU / FMC and the auto pilot and how to use it.

It seems pretty straight forward, but doesn't act the way I expect sometimes.

I usually start cold and dark and go through the startup sequence. I do the exact same steps and flight as I try to learn and apply without changing anything about what goal.

The summary is that I start at the ramp in KOGD. I set up a flight to use the runway 03 departure to MOINT. I set the altitude to 8000 because I plan to come right back in to KOGD and that is the altitude for the first approach fix of JOSIF.

I set all of the autopilot settings so that they are - - - - with the circle to the right of them except the altitude doesn't show - - - it shows 8000, but still has the circle.

It is my understanding that this is how you set it up so that it will follow whatever is in the MCDU.

Remember I am self taught and new, so I could be wrong about all of this...

I have the auto throttle turned on and the light on it is green.

My plan is that as soon as I have a positive rate of climb I will engage the autopilot and I expect it to then take me to MOINT.

I then hit the DIR button and choose JOSIF. The plan is to then have the autopilot take me to JOSIF at which point I will hit the APPR button to have the autopilot shoot the approach for me.

Once I hit JOSIF I will change the altitude to 6000 for WULFE. I expect the AP to take me to WULFE and descend automatically and keep the airspeed at the right value depending on how I configure the aircraft (flaps, gear, etc). I bring the flaps in a little at a time and drop the gear close to WULFE.

I expect the AP to be in control the whole time until I hit decision height at which point I will disconnect it and land.

Here is what actually happens:

I get several hundred feet up and hit the AP1 button. The green light comes on and the aircraft starts to turn and continues to climb. Then most of the time the AP just disconnects and I have no idea why.

I try to reengage it and sometimes it works for a few seconds and sometimes not. Once it actually got me turned towards MOINT, but then disconnected again.

That is my first question. Why can't this thing fly the departure for me?

I usually end up just hand flying to HDR flying to MOINT.

Once near there I hit DIR and choose JOSIF. This usually works and gets me to JOSIF.

I then hit the APPR button and that seems to keep me on track, but doesn't really keep the speed right.

Recently I did realize that I had to make sure the throttle is set between the lines that say A / Throttle. Before I thought it would work no matter where and usually left it in the TOGA position from take off. Lesson learned.

But on approach it doesn't seem to keep the plane at the right speed. I have to manually change the throttle even though the auto throttle light is always green.

If I manually change the throttle and keep the speed in check it usually can get me to WULFE, but then the AP starts disconnecting without any reason I can think of.

I have never made a successful approach and landing yet, so I am writing here for some tips.

 

Stock A330 is getting some fixes done if you are on latest xplane, far better off with the 737 Zibo mod.

[daemotron]

The stock A330 has a few inaccuracies concerning the autoflight system. If set up correctly,

• the FCU should show "dash dot dash dot (alt) dot dash"
• pushing the speed, hdg and alt knob should engage the managed mode (dash dot), pulling the knob should engage op mode (number is shown and can be dialed up/down by turning the respective knob). This should also affect the flight mode annunciations on the PFD (e.g. CLB if alt knob is pushed in, OP CLB if alt knob is pulled and aircraft is in the climb phase).
• The PFD flight mode annunciations should indicate the status of autoflight modes: blue = armed, green = active, white = status indication, amber = advisory indication.
• The green light on the autothrust only shows that the system is armed - if the PFD mode annunciator already shows a green "speed", toggle the button off and on to reset the system. It should now show A/THR in blue in the upper right corner of the PFD. When advancing the throttle levers to the FLX (or TOGA) position, the autothrust system will (or at least should) engage. The armed mode should be either MAN TOGA or MAN FLX once the MCDU is loaded completely.

Important note: the autothrust system requires the FMGC to provide speed data for the managed speed mode. This doesn't work with the Collins FMS in 12.04 and earlier.

 

[Hotshot10101]

7 hours ago, daemotron said:

The stock A330 has a few inaccuracies concerning the autoflight system. If set up correctly,

• the FCU should show "dash dot dash dot (alt) dot dash"
• pushing the speed, hdg and alt knob should engage the managed mode (dash dot), pulling the knob should engage op mode (number is shown and can be dialed up/down by turning the respective knob). This should also affect the flight mode annunciations on the PFD (e.g. CLB if alt knob is pushed in, OP CLB if alt knob is pulled and aircraft is in the climb phase).
• The PFD flight mode annunciations should indicate the status of autoflight modes: blue = armed, green = active, white = status indication, amber = advisory indication.
• The green light on the autothrust only shows that the system is armed - if the PFD mode annunciator already shows a green "speed", toggle the button off and on to reset the system. It should now show A/THR in blue in the upper right corner of the PFD. When advancing the throttle levers to the FLX (or TOGA) position, the autothrust system will (or at least should) engage. The armed mode should be either MAN TOGA or MAN FLX once the MCDU is loaded completely.

Important note: the autothrust system requires the FMGC to provide speed data for the managed speed mode. This doesn't work with the Collins FMS in 12.04 and earlier.

 

Thank you for the response. I will double check that the PDF is showing the right modes and try the reset when it doesn't.

If the auto thrust will get in charge when the throttle is in the TOGA mode, then what are the lines on the left side of the throttle that seem to indicate that auto throttle only works in that range? That seems to be in line with what I am experiencing in that when in TOGA the auto throttle doesn't seem to be in charge.

 

[Hotshot10101]

On 5/5/2023 at 12:35 AM, mjrhealth said:

Stock A330 is getting some fixes done if you are on latest xplane, far better off with the 737 Zibo mod.

I have tried some of the Boeing planes and prefer the simplicity of the airbus planes. They also seem more high tech...

I will look forward to the fixes coming. I am on the latest x-plane, beta in fact. Any idea when the fixes are coming?

[mjrhealth]

9 hours ago, Hotshot10101 said:

I have tried some of the Boeing planes and prefer the simplicity of the airbus planes. They also seem more high tech...

I will look forward to the fixes coming. I am on the latest x-plane, beta in fact. Any idea when the fixes are coming?

I would of thought the boeings are simpler in fact a quote from an airbus pilot on another forum

" is totally understandable as the system is highly unintuitve and not ergonomic at all (I have flown the real thing for 10 years and still never understood some of the design decisions). This is especially true if you learned to fly on a real conventional aircraft".

As for fixes, its a new MCDU so will have a few tweaks here and there. They happen when they happen.

Edited May 7, 2023 by mjrhealth

[daemotron]

45 minutes ago, mjrhealth said:

I would of thought the boeings are simpler in fact a quote from an airbus pilot on another forum

I think it largely depends on what you started with. Someone who "grep up" on an Airbus-style cockpit will have a hell of a time transitioning to a Boeing. Both follow different philosophies, and if you stick with the one you learned first, the second one will always appear non-intuitive. I daresay it may also play a role if a pilot choses to transition from one type to another, or whether company policy forced them to go through a new type rating. I know a couple of pilots holding type ratings for both sides, but depending on their personal preference, they will tell you "Boeing is better!!!1!11!" or "Airbus is better!!!111!!!1!".

Edited May 7, 2023 by daemotron