F406 AutoPilot

[Denny Knepper]

Looking for any instructions (preferably written) on how to work the autopilot on the Caravan II. All seemed to be working as expected, but it would not intercept and track a GPS course using HDG to intercept with NAV on to take over once intercepted. Any help is appreciated.

[ConcordeAG]

Plus one - also interested in this topic. Can't get it to work at all (AP)

[Denny Knepper]

Had that issue initially, but it finally engaged after I was flying. There is a rocker-type switch at the bottom of the column. YD is down, and YD/AP if you flip it up. Then you have to use the buttons above with ALT, NAV, HDG etc with FD on. They are hard to see because its an old Autopilot.

[alexanderberner380]

Hi, im having this issue as well where the aircraft doesn't follow any GPS route even though NAV mode is ENG and the A/P is on.

[ConcordeAG]

27 minutes ago, Denny Knepper said:

Had that issue initially, but it finally engaged after I was flying. There is a rocker-type switch at the bottom of the column. YD is down, and YD/AP if you flip it up. Then you have to use the buttons above with ALT, NAV, HDG etc with FD on. They are hard to see because its an old Autopilot.

I've seen this switch, but it won't let me select AP/YD

would be a hell of a lot easier with a proper manual - if those two docs (not even pdfs...) is all, it's disappointing

Edited 22 hours ago by ConcordeAG

[SuperSixBravo]

I cant switch on the AP every time I push it up it flips itself off!!

[alexanderberner380]

7 minutes ago, SuperSixBravo said:

I cant switch on the AP every time I push it up it flips itself off!!

Make sure these are set into the on position.

[Modifly]

Also ensure that the AVN AC switch, located just ahead of the Avionics Bus switches, is set to either 1 or 2 (not the neutral center position that it starts in).

[Denny Knepper]

That's what I had finally done and then the A/P on button worked. Some instructions with the plane would have been helpful finding this. I'll have to go back and look at the checklist. Its probably listed there.Unfortunately, I still could not get the NAV to intercept after doing that. 

Edited 21 hours ago by Denny Knepper

[Modifly]

The checklist just says Avionics Bus Switches - AS REQUIRED.  Nothing about the AVN AC switch.  Less than helpful.

[Denny Knepper]

Thanks for checking that. Sometimes I think these aircraft developers enjoy having making simmers figure out themselves what should have been in the missing manuals. Imagine trying to fly a real airplane yet not having a clue where anything is. 🙄

Edited 18 hours ago by Denny Knepper

[jaybird]

2 hours ago, Denny Knepper said:

Thanks for checking that. Sometimes I think these aircraft developers enjoy having making simmers figure out themselves what should have been in the missing manuals. Imagine trying to fly a real airplane yet not having a clue where anything is. 🙄

With real airplanes you either fly with an instructor if, say, you are learning, as I did in a 172, or later on you need to get "type" rated which involves learning the plane, kinda like that thing simmers are so fond of, "study" aircraft, lol.  In no case would you take to the skies not knowing where everything is 🙂 

Edited 16 hours ago by jaybird

[petesmiffy]

6 hours ago, Denny Knepper said:

Thanks for checking that. Sometimes I think these aircraft developers enjoy having making simmers figure out themselves what should have been in the missing manuals. Imagine trying to fly a real airplane yet not having a clue where anything is. 🙄

Imagine if aircraft companies put their designs out for beta testing!

[jsod]

11 hours ago, SuperSixBravo said:

I cant switch on the AP every time I push it up it flips itself off!!

I have the same problem.

 

[ComputerJones]

I can get it to engage fine but it won't follow nav, won't capture altitude, and doesn't provide a way to switch source with the default 430.

Fun to hand fly but it seems pretty broken right now, really disappointed.

[Denny Knepper]

Yes, expected better from iniBuilds. I did not have any issue with altitude hold, even got the VS to work. But NAV seemed to be "borked". HDG was OK, but I could not get an intercept to track.

Hopefully, iniBuilds will fix and release an update soon.

[storemaster]

not following NAV... have you switched the source from LOC to NAV?

[Denny Knepper]

I'll have to check that. Just one more thing, I guess, to make it work. This plane was not designed for imbeciles such as myself. Too used to the simpler planes like Warrior and 172. 🙄

[henkhugo]

NAV works fine on the TDS GPS however I cannot tune the NAV1 as both the GPS and the nav radio tunes NAV2 

 

[Denny Knepper]

Got all working correctly this morning with the A/P. I was using the PMS650. I was on a heading greater than 90 degrees from the couse I entered (using the Direct button). The plane turned to the new course, intercepted, and tracked as expected. Make sure all three Avionics levers on the left panel are on, the A/P switch is up (on center, lower console) and press the NAV button (HDG is off). Also, that the CDI says GPS. You have to search around to find that setting. Altitude hold and V/S worked as well using my Bravo A/P buttons and knob.

Yes, it takes a bit of button pushing in various spots, but it does, indeed, work (for me, anyway).

[ComputerJones]

So basically: I should just stop dillying and install pms/tds again

Disappointed! But it's a solution I'll take.

For whatever reason with the default WT avionics, the usual CDI switch for nav source just isn't working, it annunciates GPS mode no matter how much you click, but the HSI flags change. Never senses a radial though.

 

EDIT: you seem to reference this even with PMS650 so maybe I just need to make sure I'm really really on an intercept course, but I was pretty dang sure in 3 hours of fooling around, we'll just see

Desperately want this plane to work because it's among my favorites, but dang if I'm turned-off on the A350 now.

Edited 2 hours ago by ComputerJones

[Jaakko Polet]

Yeah the ALT mode wont engage for me. Other modes do work somewhat as expected.

[ComputerJones]

Confirmed at least NAV source switching works with the TDS garmin suite. So whatever it is is a problem with the default WT + the F406 and ought to be fixed.

[SuperSixBravo]

This reminds me of the Spartan all over again. A rushed not functioning (basics) Plane and then we will have all the usual defensiveness over it rather than just fixing it!

[Denny Knepper]

Ah yes. The Spartan. Another one of my Hangar Queens. That hangar keeps getting bigger all the time. 😏