I’m really not sure where the problem lies. The autopilot does not have an approach mode. You will be flying by hand.
Additionally, you can’t intercept the localizer with the autopilot because it doesn’t turn fast enough. It also doesn’t seem to have any kind of prediction logic. It’s just a rate based autopilot that will lock onto a signal once you’re lined up with it.
If you were trying to get familiar with a particular kind of autopilot with approach mode, then the Comanche is definitely not the right aircraft for you. If, however, you are looking for a good stable flight model, that behaves accurately, with instruments that behave accurately for what they are, it nails it.
In real life there are much better IFR platforms available than the antique systems on this aircraft. But on the other hand, it has dual VFR radios with localizer and glideslope so there is nothing preventing you from doing a full ILS landing. Only thing missing is a more sophisticated clock/timer.
Got to be honest, if I owned the Commanche upon which A2A’s version was based, I would upgrade to a more modern autopilot, if money was no object of course. As this is a sim plane, I for one would love to see an option provided to add a KAP 140 for those of us who like to let the plane take the strain, once in a while.
Point is if you are buying a Comanche 250 you are on a limited budget. If money was no object you would buy something else like maybe a shiney new Cirrus.
Here is a Comanche 250 for $US65000 (looks tidy, needs work longish hours)
Yes I see your point and I perhaps should have worded my point a bit better. I meant “If you could afford an autopilot upgrade”
But really my point was that this is only a sim plane we are discussing, and I would like a full functioning autopilot in this virtual plane. My mention of the real world owner of the Commanche was a bit stupid and unneccesary.
I definitely liked having to learn to use the real world autopilot and appreciate the opportunity. As it is now winter here in the UK, I kinda like to fly RNAV IFR approaches but I am put off by the added workload of using the real world autopilot and find myself choosing another plane, when I really prefer to fly the Commanche.
One thing to remember is installing a new AP in an old plane involves a lot more than just finding a place on the control panel for the shiney new device and getting someone to certify it.
The new device has to integrate with existing avionics and the various servos and electric motors that move the controls may be incompatible or in some cases not even exist and the electrical system may not necessarily have the capacity to drive the new hardware either.
I hear you. I actually like the autopilot on this but I’m also accustomed to a S-TEC 60 IRL which is very similar.
It would be nice IMHO to have a couple choices other than which Nav unit. I would enjoy a a GFC 500 along with the existing radios. Wouldn’t be an unusual setup although the installer would definitely need new servos IRL.
Yes, just 0s and 1s but getting them to do what you want, not a trivial adventure especially if the other groupings of 0s and 1s are simulating old technology….
Anyone have the governor fail on them? I was a cruise, 12,000ft, everything in the green.
I’m outside taking some footage, when suddenly the prop RPM goes through the roof. I go inside and it’s over 3200rpm, and CHT spiking over 400!
I pulled throttle, and prop back, and landed in a field somewhere when the engine died on me. Good landing too.
I checked out the engine but it showed everything in the green. I stared the engine, ran it to full power, and it looked okay, so I took off again. This time it died in flight, and the crankshaft broke.
Again, landed safely, replaced the crankshaft, and it happened again. At that point I overhauled the entire engine, with I think nearly 70 hours on it, and I’m now continuing my flight.
I’m not an expert by any stretch but I would say that it’s very possible that a big drop in oil pressure could cause a spike in RPM especially when the engine is under pressure or the AC is at something like cruise speed or above.
Not too sure tbh what could cause a drop in oil pressure but, yes, maybe insufficient/bad oil or even incorrect oil for the climate ??? Another reason in a real AC might even be worn engine bearings too perhaps ???
If you’re trying to intercept it from an angle greater than 10 degrees, yes, it’s not going to capture it. If it can’t turn more than 10 or 20 degrees, it can’t capture at more than 10 or 20 degrees.
Much better to set up on the flight path, then turn the S-tec on.
I was at a high enough altitude that I had the throttle fully forward, and only had about ~18” MP. If a piece of equipment had failed it would be nice to see what that was. Oil level was fine, and nothing was overheating. It wasn’t a gentle failure either, the engine was screaming in a few seconds.
Thinking about it more it shouldn’t really be the engine. I think you said you had 70 hours on it so for maintenance purposes that doesn’t seem a lot and from what I recall it’s far short of it needing an engine overhaul.
Mmm … very interesting. If I was you I would post the question to the A2A devs and if you get an answer and have the time it would be good if you could let us know here too
Given that the prop went absolutely berserk, and I was only able to get that below the redline by pulling it all the way back, I assume the governor had died, but that doesn’t show as a repairable part.
Good shout on the A2A forums. I have an account there, so will post something later on. I’d love to hear what they think of this.
There were some errors appearing on the engine management computer as well. I wish I had shot some video of it really. I think it said “O.P. 1” or similar.
Just as an aside don’t you think it’s great though when something like this happens and you can’t work out why it happened? It gets you thinking what you did wrong and helps you learn a bit more?
