Sim Avionics Flight Controls problems(resolved)

[rs3tier]

Hi
I have recently switched to SA and am having some problems with flight controls.
If I engage the autopilot but do not have a roll mode selected (i.e. HDG SEL) then I get bad "spiking" during the turns (this really effects the visuals badly).

I have attached a video (sorry about size) showing how the issue appears when monitoring the SA flight controls page.

For additional info about what I have configured, I have fully disabled joysticks in FSX entirely and am using FSUIPC axis and calibration (I am not mapping the axis to an OFFSET).  Also I have "use internal controls" disabled in SA and have removed (set to zero) all the offsets for the various axes in FSUIPC_IO file.

If I enable a roll mode or fly with the a/pilot completely disconnected then there is no spiking and the aileron behaves perfectly.

Hopefully someone has some idea on what I can try as I have spent many many hours trying to fix this without success

Thanks,
Rob

[Nat Crea]

Love to help Rob, but I cant see a link to the video. Have another direct link?

Nat

[rs3tier]

I am trying it was a 3MB mov file but has converted to about 20MB MPG and wont upload!
I will keep working on it

[rs3tier]

ok, hopefully a zipped MOV file will be ok
Thanks,
Rob

[Jetcos]

Hi Robert,

Not knowing all the game controllers or hardware you are using I am going to ask a few questions:

Can you remove assignments in FSX, assign and calibrate in FSUIPC and fly the aircraft in FSX/P3D without any issues? Doing this with only FSX/P3D running, no Sim-A or anything else?

Making sure you are calibrating the flight controls using the proper methods and/or following the FSUIPC instructions in the documents provided by FSUIPC.

Have you Loaded the proper Aircraft config file from the Sim-A server ( and saved?) and using the recommended aircraft (without any tweaking) ?

[rs3tier]

Hi Steve
I have definitely removed all assignments in FSX.

For FSUIPC i have Axis Assignment set as "send direct to to FSUIPC calibration".  Within the FSUIPC calibration tab I have just followed the basic procedures (i.e. set low point, high point and dead zone).  I am not using "slope" or "filter" functions.

I am pretty confident I have this part of things right - and yes I can hand fly successfully if I just run the standard FSX 737 without SA running at all.

My guess here is my issue  is not related to axis calibration.  I say that mainly because even when I am seeing the "stuttering/spiking" effect on the SA Flight Controls page - the CWS Axis Position Information (Aileron 0x332A) is nice and stable.  As I say that is my guess - I understand I could be wrong.

I don't know if this makes sense but what it feels like is that even though I have no roll mode active - it seems that something is trying to "fight my inputs".  So if I bank right, it seems that the spiking is a result of the aircraft trying to bank left to correct - but ultimately the manual command wins and the turn gets completed.

Were you able to view the video I uploaded? I am hoping that at least gives a clear picture of what I am trying to explain.

Thanks
Robert

[Sam Llorca]

Hi Robert,

Double check all joystick assignment in all joystick connected, been there before, I know, you checked it all one by one, but sometimes for an unknown reason they get reassigned.
Cheers,
Sam

[Jetcos]

Double check what Sam suggested. I have seen that as well, numerous times. Default settings for a Game Controller end up back in FSX.

I can check when I am back in the office on Tuesday, (Monday is a holiday here) I have a B777 up and running there. In your video you have several unchecked boxes in the Flight Controls in the Server. When I start Sim-A all the boxes are checked ON. I suggest checking them to ON.

I only adjust the "Special Operations" because of how we assign those components. Also the CWS Null Zone.

Usually I do the FSX assignments, assign/calibrate in FSUIPC and fly. I don't change anything in the Server after loading the Aircraft config file. Then off I go to test fly.


On big thing in FSUIPC is the Null Zone. Often done incorrectly. If there are 100 sim builders there are 100 ways to calibrate it seems.

We recommend the following:

Turn all the way to the Left and SET, back to neutral then turn to the left slightly and SET. then all the way to the Right and SET. Then to neutral and slightly to Right and SET the lower SET box. What you want to see is a 0 in the box (left lower box) every time you return the flight control to neutral.This applies to all the flight controls. On the Brakes I set the full brakes and give the pedals about 1" before setting. This allows for a slight null zone on the brakes.

[rs3tier]

Thanks Sam ad Steve
I have double/triple checked that no fsx axis are assigned.
But I will go back to FSUIPC calibration and make sure the null zones have ample room to be sure everything does return to zero when centered

I will recheck (turn on) all the boxes in the FLight Controls Page too.  Some were unchecked as a result of my testing this issue - I had them both on and off at various stages but id didnt seem to make any difference.  In fact I still dont really understand what they do as I can fly with out without them checked and it doesnt seem to make any difference

Thanks
Rob

[Mark Hastings]

Hi,

I don't think there are any problems with your assignments.
It's not possible to engage the A/P without a roll mode. If you just select CMD A without previously selecting HDG SEL, LNAV, VOR LOC or APP, then CWS R is automatically selected.
This puts the a/c into a 'bank angle hold' mode, and uses the yoke inputs to adjusts the target bank angle.

For this to work Elevator and Aileron must be assigned and calibrated in FSUIPC.
Aileron and Elevator must not be assigned via the default FS control assignments menu.

Generally this function has been working pretty well, but whilst testing the other week I had noticed a little bit of 'flutter' in the flt controls under this mode, so I have made a few adjustment to smooth this out.

I have this version being tested now, and along with a handful of other new features, it should be able for release shortly.

All the best
Mark

[rs3tier]

Thanks Mark, CWS R & P both appear to be working well in the new version (no stuttering at all that I could see).

The 'magic battery' fixed my other problem also.

Regards,
Robert