Mechjeb for 1.0.2 missing space plane guidance

[Pandemic]

I used MechJeb to guide my space planes for long distances to do contracts. Yesterday it seemed like something changed because mechjeb was not operating as smoothly as it had. So I updated to the newest version for 1.0.2. Now there is just no space plane guidance option. I looked through science but see no other mechjeb feature to unlock.

[Kerba Fett]

Is the feature still there in sandbox where there is no techtree to deal with?

[Pandemic]

I'll have to check. Good idea.

[Pandemic]

Yep, it works in sandbox. I'm guessing I have to unlock something in the tech tree to get it back?

[steve_v]

Yup, IIRC it's one of the last MJ functions unlocked, so it's pretty high up the tree.

[Murph]

If the main issue for you is just finding the runway, plant a flag on the grass directly off the 09 end of the KSC runway (make sure it's actually off the runway object, including the grass slope, and onto the flat grass plain beyond, not far, just enough to stop the game being stupid and forcing you to recover it before you can use the runway again). I prefer to have flags at both ends myself, but the stock game has an odd bug that keeps eating my 27 end flag right now, unless I do a bit of a hack to make it stay put. You can set the flag as a target, and the end result is very nearly as good as MechJeb's pseudo-ILS guidance.

If the issue is landing, it really is worth spending a bit of time learning how to pull off a textbook landing by hand. It's not easy, I know, but worth it in the long run. Low, slow, and very flat, no violent control inputs on final approach, that's the key to learning successful landing; once you have calm gentle landings sorted, you can move to more advanced stuff like a mad supersonic power dive from 20,000 directly towards the threshold, pulling up hard at the last moment.

If the issue is "altitude hold", that doesn't really seem to work terribly well, to be honest, at least for me. It always seems to over-compensate and constantly hunt for the set altitude, without really stabilising there, even if I start out straight and level at the altitude before engaging it.

[steve_v]

Pilot Assistant does much better than MechJeb for aircraft. With the flag trick it makes for a pretty decent ad-hoc landing autopilot too

[Pandemic]

Good idea regarding the flag. I have the general layout of where the landing strip is but that'll make it quicker to find. I'll check out pilot assist. I liked MechJeb purely for the heading and altitude autopilot. I've had good results with setting a heading and altitude, leaving the machine in 4x mode for 20 minutes or so, completing a contract and doing the same on the way back.

I've noticed recently that it seems like something changed though. The controls are a lot more sensitive or maybe aerodynamics changed somewhere. I'm still running 1.0.2 but something is different.

Weird thing is before the update I was able to use the mechjeb space plane autopilot all the time in career mode. Now, for some reason, it's changed.

Landings are OK for me. I prefer to be lazy and let mechjeb do the work but I can land fairly well.

[Pandemic]

I swear my space plane is handling differently...

[Pandemic]

curious - how was I able to use the guidance before in the same career? Bug?

[Pandemic]

Used pilot assistant today - works a lot better anyway. Thanks for the suggestion!