[1.8.0-1.12.5] AtmosphereAutopilot 1.6.1

[blakemw]

Hey I'm a globehead and my one complaint about AA's Fly-By-Wire mode is that it doesn't pitch the nose down to account for the curvature of a planet. Is there any way that AA can do this amoung it's multitude of bewildering settings? I'm aware that AA constant altitude can do this, but the context I want it for is controlled ascend/descent not merely maintaining a certain altitude.

Edited September 3, 2018 by blakemw

[Boris-Barboris]

1 minute ago, blakemw said:

Hey I'm a globehead and my one complaint about AA's Fly-By-Wire mode is that it doesn't pitch the nose down to account for the curvature of a planet. Is there any way that AA can do this amoung it's multitude of bewildering settings? I'm aware that AA constant altitude can do this, but the context I want it for is controlled ascend/descent not merely following maintaining a certain altitude.

switch navball to "Surface" mode.

[overkill13]

For anyone who's interested.  Cruise Flight Control and Fly By Wire seem to work fine for me in 1.5.1.  I don't use other functions so cannot comment on their functionality.

[Bartybum]

Is there a way to limit the vertical speed when the autopilot is set to altitude hold, as well as bank angle?

[Boris-Barboris]

8 hours ago, Bartybum said:

Is there a way to limit the vertical speed when the autopilot is set to altitude hold, as well as bank angle?

Bank angle:

No direct limit for vertical speed, but you can limit climb angle in CF advanced options. Or you can just use vertical speed mode until target height.

[Catatau_27]

It would be great to integrate this mod into an MFD VAT, and real features of an actual airplane autopilot, so when activated after takeoff it would take control of the SAS.

[xD-FireStriker]

Thanks for this amazing mod and good luck for the future, any luck finding someone to maintain this? 

[Boris-Barboris]

Just now, xD-FireStriker said:

Thanks for this amazing mod and good luck for the future, any luck finding someone to maintain this? 

No, a couple of people reached out but got scared away when dived deeper into code base. I'll keep it alive for now. Squad slowed it's update pace, that shouldn't be a big hassle.

[likke_A_boss]

Excellent, excellent mods, thank you for all the work you've put into it. 

[Boris-Barboris]

1.6.0 ok I presume?

[SkyKaptn]

12 hours ago, Boris-Barboris said:

1.6.0 ok I presume?

I have not tested myself, but I saw @RocketPCGaming using it in the 1.6 preview stream.

[Qarisma]

This mod still works with 1.6. I can't tell you how useful this is. It's a shame that some people play without it. Flying these death trap "airplanes" with keyboard controls alone is absolutely impossible.

[Spraki]

Hi. First off, great work with this mod. Extremely useful.

Unfortunately, I must ask a noob question despite having read most of the readme. I am probably using some things wrong obviously, as I lack all the aerodynamics understandings.

My intention was to use AA as a landing tool after having landed many times manually. I tossed a few beacons to ensure I am aligned to the 90/270 runway.

StockAero, using flaps minimally (as I had read that 7deg the max). I don't know how to figure my stall speeds either. Other than manually? Anyways.

My issue: I have speed, (neg) vertical speed control and level/heading. Cruise control.

However, adjusting the vertical speed control with W/S causes the nose to pitch down. I assume that is the purpose. I still can land by turning everything off and doing a final adjustment before touchdown. But it would be cool to keep my nose above the horizon.

Is there some way to 'lock pitch angle' to a value? So I have a slightly positive AoA (hope I am using the term correctly)?

Or would be better to put some 90m/s and turn off vertical speed control? And just pitch on my own?

 

I checked pitch ang/vel controllers but I think I am not good at understanding this.

I am probably using this mod for the wrong task.

[Boris-Barboris]

@Spraki

No, there's no such mode. You can try to change v speed setpoint slowly, or sinply assume direct control over pitch in flybywirr mode. The latter is what i do. CF is not good for landing 

[Spraki]

 

54 minutes ago, Boris-Barboris said:

@Spraki

No, there's no such mode. You can try to change v speed setpoint slowly, or sinply assume direct control over pitch in flybywirr mode. The latter is what i do. CF is not good for landing 

Thanks for the fast response :). 

[Jacke]

1 hour ago, Spraki said:

Is there some way to 'lock pitch angle' to a value? So I have a slightly positive AoA (hope I am using the term correctly)?

Try using Pitch Trim.  Using the Mod key, Alt on Windows.  Alt-W to trim pitch down, Alt-S to trim pitch up, Alt-X to zero trim.  (There's also Yaw and Roll Trim, but they're not as useful.)  You can also watch the orange needle on the Pitch gauge on the lower left.

Pitch Trim is useful in any flight but especially useful for level flight and setting up glide path approaches.

As well, I suggest using the mod Nav Utilities.  It's very good at helping with air navigation and glide-path landings.  You can also add custom runways.

 

[Spraki]

8 hours ago, Jacke said:

Try using Pitch Trim.  Using the Mod key, Alt on Windows.  Alt-W to trim pitch down, Alt-S to trim pitch up, Alt-X to zero trim.  (There's also Yaw and Roll Trim, but they're not as useful.)  You can also watch the orange needle on the Pitch gauge on the lower left.

Pitch Trim is useful in any flight but especially useful for level flight and setting up glide path approaches.

As well, I suggest using the mod Nav Utilities.  It's very good at helping with air navigation and glide-path landings.  You can also add custom runways.

 

 

Thanks for the advice. I forgot about stock Pitch Trim with Alt-WASD.

I will try to do landings again, preferably without AA's vertical speed. Yesterday, I performed a landing craft-speed locked to 95m/s. It sorta worked, but I was till pointing my nose below the horizon and at the runway. I think I'm still above my stall speed.

Maybe I need to find a mod that can give a rough number on stall speed? I saw a formula once, but I don't know if it applies to this game as well. I guess I'll have to just stall manually and hope I get an accurate number. (dials Jeb's number)

 

Speaking of which. I must note that I still haven't managed to deal with flaps. I've read in this thread more about flaps and all in stock areo.

I've tried to also put "upwards" flaps on the trailing edge, along with keeping it both around a 7deg deflection (or some 3° fore, °aft°), as any more was said to make it become an airbrake :/. I'm asusming stock aero is not appropriate, to begin with. I'd like to use NEAR mode (FAR-lite) but I don't recall seeing any further developments.

 

 

[capi3101]

27 minutes ago, Spraki said:

<snip /> I'm asusming stock aero is not appropriate, to begin with. I'd like to use NEAR mode (FAR-lite) but I don't recall seeing any further developments.

 

 

Ferram discontinued NEAR with 0.90, IIRC. It was kinduva joke mod in the first place, in all honesty - the FAR atmospheric model without all the extra tools that make flying with that model worth it.

Incidentally, the FAR analysis screens will show you your level flight AoA and general flight characteristics for various speeds. The mod does have a bit of a learning curve, but not necessarily a very steep one; FAR-flyers can help you interpret what it's telling you. Of course, that's a discussion for one of the FAR threads, not here. 

I fly FAR, and I use AA. And as it turns out, I also use NavUtilities - all exceptionally useful plane mods. If you have any questions about any of them, please ask.

 

Love AA, BTW @Boris-Barboris; I credit much of the success of my last few career saves to it alone.

[Spraki]

Just now, capi3101 said:

Ferram discontinued NEAR with 0.90, IIRC. It was kinduva joke mod in the first place, in all honesty - the FAR atmospheric model without all the extra tools that make flying with that model worth it.

Incidentally, the FAR analysis screens will show you your level flight AoA and general flight characteristics for various speeds. The mod does have a bit of a learning curve, but not necessarily a very steep one; FAR-flyers can help you interpret what it's telling you. Of course, that's a discussion for one of the FAR threads, not here. 

I fly FAR, and I use AA. And as it turns out, I also use NavUtilities - all exceptionally useful plane mods. If you have any questions about any of them, please ask.

 

Love AA, BTW @Boris-Barboris; I credit much of the success of my last few career saves to it alone.

 

Oh, I didn't know. Stock aero did get better and I kinda was hoping for a middle ground between stock and FAR. I used FAR a lot back in 1.0.5 - or 1.2, when 64bit hit, I don't remember. However, that was back when I was trying to make bizarre SSTOs from the KSC runway.

Maybe I have no choice, but to go FAR from here on out. I had already watch the youtube vid (from ferram, I think) and have this on my wall (excuses the sloppy handwriting, I prefer cursive actually xD):

Spoiler

 

My only gripes was that sometimes, I wanted to just build and fly planes without having to do too much of aerodynamics math (I know, that is the pinnacle of a real flight simulator). I also lost interest when I simply was unable to get sweep wings to work in either stock/FAR settings. Ferram also for sure had a lot to do, so the mod's updates per patch took a long while, which I fully respect. Nonetheless, one should not give up, and try to make all the FAR numbers green. My minor gripe was that I always had some value going red all the time in the simulation-diagnostics.

Yes, I've also been using NavUtilities. However, as explained above, since I still suck at getting a bit of a positive AoA, I'm basically just chasing the prograde with my nose down until I flare up just on time (usually).

[Nothalogh]

This mod is phenomenal, it makes flying actually like flying, and less like using a 10lb sledgehammer to move the controls.

[theonegalen]

On 1/31/2019 at 2:07 PM, Spraki said:

 

Oh, I didn't know. Stock aero did get better and I kinda was hoping for a middle ground between stock and FAR. I used FAR a lot back in 1.0.5 - or 1.2, when 64bit hit, I don't remember. However, that was back when I was trying to make bizarre SSTOs from the KSC runway.

Maybe I have no choice, but to go FAR from here on out. I had already watch the youtube vid (from ferram, I think) and have this on my wall (excuses the sloppy handwriting, I prefer cursive actually xD):

  Reveal hidden contents

 

My only gripes was that sometimes, I wanted to just build and fly planes without having to do too much of aerodynamics math (I know, that is the pinnacle of a real flight simulator). I also lost interest when I simply was unable to get sweep wings to work in either stock/FAR settings. Ferram also for sure had a lot to do, so the mod's updates per patch took a long while, which I fully respect. Nonetheless, one should not give up, and try to make all the FAR numbers green. My minor gripe was that I always had some value going red all the time in the simulation-diagnostics.

Yes, I've also been using NavUtilities. However, as explained above, since I still suck at getting a bit of a positive AoA, I'm basically just chasing the prograde with my nose down until I flare up just on time (usually).

If you are still looking for more detailed information, your stall speed and such, there is a mod for stock called Kerbal Wind Tunnel. It is excellent. CorrectCoL also gives stability derivatives.

[Boris-Barboris]

I bid Mr. @Hotel26  most welcome to the AA's github repo collaborator's list.

Should he deem appropriate to draft an AA beta or release, I can only ask the general audience not to be surprised. You may find this event a great opportunity to ask for some UI-related changes, wich are always a great way to start.

[Hotel26]

Please be advised that this is a beta pre-release available for trial download from Space Dock as Version 1.5.12.

1.5.12:    https://github.com/Boris-Barboris/AtmosphereAutopilot/releases/tag/v1.5.12

• Adds Tgt and Wpt buttons to the Cruise Flight controller waypoint display.  Copies the current lon/lat of the Target or Waypoint, if one is selected, to the lon/lat display and begins navigation to the selection.

                                                                                     

 

Please report any difficulties encountered, via this thread.  Also, any questions about operation of the new feature are welcome here.

If all is well, CKAN will be updated in a week's time to automatically upgrade Atmosphere Autopilot version to 1.5.12.

Edited March 3, 2019 by Hotel26

[Kernowden Kerbin]

when plane land on aircarrier,Atmosphere Autopilot will out of work,if the aircarrier is on the land,that will't happen

[Boris-Barboris]

18 minutes ago, Kernowden Kerbin said:

when plane land on aircarrier,Atmosphere Autopilot will out of work,if the aircarrier is on the land,that will't happen

Is carrier in the air or in water?