Getting back in touch and L-1011 Panel Question

[mikethepilot]

Greetings to the HJG Team,

First let me send my commendations to the team on the great job they did in updating the L-1011 panels into a more realistic FS experience and my favorite feature in this new panel version is the revamped Auto Land that flares the airplane during landing. I also liked the fact that the team updated some of the FDE characteristics (or so I read here in the forums ) in the L-1011.

The only question I have is in regards to the Mach Speed Hold functionality in the new L-1011 autopilot system. In the old panel, I could set the Mach value then hit the A/T switch and MACH button in the Autopilot main panel and have the airplane fly in that mode during cruise. However, in the new panel the Mach button only works to keep the airplane at a constant speed marked at the moment the button is press by controlling the aircraft pitch. I was wondering if now the correct procedure is to set up the speed in knots and tweak it to keep a constant Mach speed during climb after FL180 and cruise?

Thanks for your time answering this question and look forward to the responses from the team.

Other than that the Chief Pilot of Virtual Eastern approves the update released by the HJG Team . Congrats to all!

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

AP IAS and AP MACH are pitch modes .... and these work completely independently of the AT .

Selecting either of these modes will, intentionally, disengage the the AT .... or .... prevent it from being engaged.

Selecting either AP IAS or AP MACH airspeed modes .... the AP will then control the simulations pitch attitude (during climb/descent for example), and in doing so, constatly adjust pitch in order to try and maintain the airspeed acquired from the very moment either mode was first engaged.

Engine thrust can still be manipulated (manually) when either mode is engaged, but, doing so will also influence the simulations pitch attitude too .... as follows ....

- During any climb and using either AP IAS or AP MACH airspeed modes .... if engine power is further increased then this will result in the AP increasing the simulations pitch attitude/ROC in order to try and maintain a constant airspeed .... as was acquired when either mode was first engaged.

- During any climb and using either AP IAS or AP MACH airspeed modes .... if engine power is further decreased then this will result in the AP reducing the simulations pitch attitude/ROC in order to try and maintain a constant airspeed .... as was acquired when either mode was first engaged.

- The same also applies too in respect of any AP IAS or AP MACH mode controlled descent.

To adjust the airspeed when either of these 2 AP pitch modes have been engaged .... this requires that either engaged mode first be disengaged .... then the AP VS mode engaged (during any climb or descent .... or use the AP ALT mode during level cruise) .... and a target IAS airspeed value being entered into the AT airspeed gauge followed by the AT arm switch also then being selected "ON" .... OR .... airspeed can simply be controlled "manually" in order to try and maintain a constant IAS or MACH airspeed value in relation to any established ROC/ROD or the desired cruise performance.

ALSO .... using either AP IAS or AP MACH modes during any climb/descent .... upon acquiring the pre-selected target altitude these modes will intentionaly, and automatically, disengage .... requiring engine power to then be adjusted "manually", or, the AT then engaged, in order to maintain the desired constant airspeed performance.

Personally .... I prefer to climb/descend using AP VS mode .... whilst also using the AT ("IF" I use it at all). The AP VS mode .... IMHO .... results in by far the best/smoothest ROC/ROD performance towards any pre-selected target altitude as it avoids the AP's constant pitch changes (resulting in equally constant ROC/ROD changes) during either AP IAS or AP MACH controlled flight.

Using AP VS mode does, however, impose a need to watch the airspeed .... and .... using the AP VS thumb wheel .... to manually adjust the ROC/ROD in accordance with the displayed airspeed and progress toward any preselected target altitude. That's the way I do it (recommend doing it .... at least), and without any problems at all

In regard to setting an AT controlkled IAS or MACH airspeed ....

A target airspeed value should, first, be selected .... and the AT arm switch then engaged within a few KTS (omly) of the preselected target airspeed. Upon engaging the AT arm switch .... engine thrust may/will be cycled, by the AT, through quite a wide range (sometimes down to a near-idle setting), before being promptly recycled toward the necessary thrust setting at which to maintain the preselected target airspeed value (this cycling effect is, unfortunately, a normal AT related phenomunon in FS). "During climb" (only) .... and with the AT engaged, a small discrepency of some 4-5 KTS between the actual airspeed acquired and the preselected target airspeed value is "QUITE NORMAL" also, but, will also disappear so as to agree almost precisely, with a reducing ROC nearing the TOC and enterin the level CRZ phase of any flight.

Mike .... I've completely "rewritten" my original L1011 manual/"PANEL IMSTALATION & HANDLING NOTES" specifically for these upgrades. The new version manual is "a lot more thorough" and extensive .... covering virtually everything that one now needs to know/understand in order to be able to enjoy these upgraded L1011 simulations to the maximum. All of these details you've raised today .... and "A WHOLE LOT MORE" too .... are well covered within the new notes and tutorials featured within this new version forum based manual for each of the HJG L1011 simulations as follows ....

tonymadgehjg.proboards.com/thread/3888/l1011-tristar-panel-installation-handling

What I'd, personally, like to see you do is .... point your VEAL pilots in the direction of this new version manual, and also to this particular forum page too, for all of their technical support .... which HJG will gladly/try to assist with

Mark C
AKL/NZ

[walterleo]

Hi:

The AP IAS-MACH function of the Tristar and other advanced simulations (such as PT Tu-154) come in handy for flying climbs and descents within engine limits, as climbing you never will force the engine over temp limits and descending you will maintain airspeed as desired, for me its preferable over VS. But a happy life with IAS-MACH hold depends on a certain practice before engaging them: With VS you approach your intended speed, deselect VS, then select IAS hold and then set the engines as desired. Done in that way the airplane wont wollow up and down before finding the the solution to the problem you have left to solve him. Seems that was real practice in the Tu-154s those autothrottle were only aceptable for landings (for engine life´s sake!). Seems an AEROMEXICO DC-10 crew used once AT/VS on climbout from Paris untill stalling the bird and regained control after falling down 11.000 ft. No comment of PAXes recorded.

Kind regards

Walter

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

"IF" .... one applies the AT controlled airspeed, AP-VS pitch mode (possibly the easiest of the 3 available AP controlled climb/pitch modes for the L1011's), and climb procedure/s prescribed within my tutorials for each individual L1011 aircraft type (see "SECTION 5" of the Handling Notes" .... since some of these do differ slightly in accordance with the simulated weight and engine thrust ratings for each aircraft type) .... THEN .... doing this will aid/"ensure" that engine parameters are never exceded during any climb .... albeit for a slightly slower airspeed being maintained throughout the climb to ones initial cruising altitutde (31,000 FT).

One can also .... alternatively .... establish a slightly shallower climb profile (than that recoimmended by me) and which will/should also, then, promote a slightly higher airspeed being set/maintained (possibly 10-15 KTS or so more) throughout the climb, whilst still not exceding engine paramters either .... albeit for a slightly prolonged climb to initial cruising altitude. Such an alternative procedure should also work fine during AP-IAS and AP-MACH mode controlled climb to initial cruising altitude too.

I generally like to encourage/teach people to try'n learn/use the basic AP-VS controlled pitch mode "first" .... and once they're comfortable/competent using that .... "then" start to learn the other 2 slightly more complex (AP-IAS and AP-MACH) pitch modes later. Each of the 3 available pitch modes does work just as well as the other .... "once properly applied" of course

Mark C
AKL/NZ

[walterleo]

Hi Mark:

Needless to say, that all procedures in an airplane (even in a simulated one) are not self executing devices for switching off the brain. Therefore your reference to your flying guide is a good advice, as selecting 300 kts AT and a VS of +4000 ft min and altitude select FL 410 could work in a jet fighter but not in an airliner.

Kind regards

Walter