Autopilot lateral modes (HDG NAV LVL) don't work

User Support Hub Aircraft & Systems
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1

Hi all,

I am fairly new to MSFS2024 but have about 1500 flying hours in real aircraft, most of them Garmin G1000 equipped.

When using the autopilot in MSFS2024 (PC, Steam) like I’m used to, everything works just fine save for the lateral modes, so HDG, NAV and LVL. The aircraft just does not turn as directed, although the flight director indicates the turn correctly.

I’ve tried this now with a number of aircraft, e.g. the Cirrus Vision Jet, PC 24, PC 12, TBM 960, King Air C 90 and others.

Does anybody have an idea what that may be caused by? Didn’t find much on the forum…

Cheers!

2

I know it sounds simple, but is ap master on, avioncs on.

Maybe check mappings. Something may be set to ap off or toggle ap

3

No issues with lateral modes here. You need to provide more info. Screen shots…preferably a video.

4

Thank you. Let me try to be more specific:

  1. Aircraft is airborne, 11000 ft, flying manual straight and level, heading 110. AP is off.
  2. Altitude is preselected for 11000 ft.
  3. I select heading 210 on the AP panel. HDG bug moves to the right onto 210.
  4. On the AP panel I select in this order: HDG (white arrow above HDG, ALT and FD comes on), AP (white arrow above AP comes on)
  5. The flight director (magenta “wings” on the artificial horizon) banks to the right
  6. On the PFD above the artificial horizon in green letters the following AP modes are shown (from left to right): HDG AP YD ALTS 11000ft
  7. The aircraft flys steadily at 11000 ft, straight ahead and does not turn to the right as the flight director indicates.
  8. I select heading 030.
  9. The heading bug moves to 030, the flight director banks to the left.
  10. The aircraft flys steadily at 11000 ft, straight ahead and does not turn to the left as the flight director indicates.
5

Screenshot:

IMG_0714
IMG_07141680×1131 168 KB

6

Don’t know what to tell you, your PFD indicates you are banking right. It should bank right to your selected heading, and fly that heading until it intercepts you flight plan (if NAV is also engaged).

7

Bobo, thank you, but I beg to differ. The PFD indicates I shall bank right (flight director, the magenta „wings“), but the aircraft does not follow (yellow „wings“ don’t align with the magenta ones). That’s exactly the problem I‘m trying to solve for. Magenta works, yellow doesn’t follow.

8

The aircraft follows the magenta “wings”. The yellow “wings” is your aircraft symbol and remains stationary and represents your aircraft relative to the horizon. From your picture, your plane is in a right hand turn a shallow bank, turning to heading 206 as directed by the FDs magenta “wings”. It is working correctly per your picture. I cannot see the horizon in your picture but from your indications, it is all working correctly. Again the aircraft symbol (“yellow wings”) remains stationary in your PFD it does not move.

9

Bobo, again thank you for your help, very much appreciated. I managed to compress my video I created above screenshot from. Would you mind having a look and trying to explain the aircraft’s behavior again, please? Thank you.

10

Try engaging your AP first then select HDG mode and see what happens.

Is that the vision jet?

1 Like
11

That’s the Vision Jet, correct. Same applies to AP first, then selecting the modes. And also to all other aircraft I’ve tried as per my initial post, unfortunately.

13

Are you running a stock installation of MSFS 2024 with an empty community folder ( no addons)? If not, clear your community folder and try again.

14

Yes, I am. Clean Windows 11 system with no other software but an anti-virus program and the Steam client. Zero add-ons to the flight simulator. The installation comes through steam, though.

15

I just checked, the Community Folder was empty and still is.

16

Another try to fix the issue that failed: I uninstalled MSFS2024 as a whole and manually deleted the appdata folder (including the Community Folder and everything else). Unfortunately to no effect.

17

Have you tried with auto throttle off? Are you binding your controls in MSFS or third party software?

18

I just checked again as you mentioned the Vision Jet, HDG mode works perfectly for me (as with other aircraft).
Do the AP, FS and HDG lights illuminate when activated on your side (little arrow)?

Screenshot 2024-12-28 204122
Screenshot 2024-12-28 204122699×319 28.7 KB

19

Thank you for your help. Yes, they do. As described above and shown in the video.

20

You should open a help desk ticket if you have not. This is very strange. Do you have any controllers connected? You indications are correct but the AP does not seem to actually be engaging.

21

I would reset the session and try again. This is the MS-Asobo/WT Vision Jet, and I stabilized first, set AT and then Nav modes. It might be a glitch during your flying session.