There is a known issue with the DC-6. The work-around I’ve read and use is to toggle the CDI button on the GPS unit a couple of times. I go to VLOC, back to GPS and then back to VLOC.
So when I am initially inbound, I switch the autopilot on the center pedestal from Gyropilot to Localizer. Toggle the CDI a couple of times. When I get to the final approach fix and want to descend on the glideslope, I switch the autopilot to APPROACH. (I also have to hit the APR button on my Logitech control or the glideslope won’t work). I then toggle the CDI again, to get the approach to work. So each time you switch the autopilot, toggle the CDI button back and forth leaving it on VLOC.
It doesn’t seem to matter. By the way, it starts with missing the vertical needle (back to gyropilot, switch the GPS to VLOC - toggle - then switch the autopilot to localizer when the needle starts moving… missed it…). Then forget about the horizontal one.
The needles are there. They move. They just refuse to lock.
I’ve by now tried so many different timings, double taps, toggles and twists, that I’m pretty convinced this is not a pilot issue.
Thanks all for your help and suggestions everyone. Yes I could try NDB, I forgot about that. But I do think there is something very wrong with the GPS/LOC/Approach system in the base sim under certain circumstances or maybe with certain implementations, that’s my feeling… The Aerosoft CRJ also has issues at times, I know and have read all the posts on it, but still there is an issue somewhere.
Whilst I appreciate I could be doing something wrong, I do feel like there is an underlying issue working against us. Having to toggle yourself crazy isn’t really good, I understand it might be the only way and I understand the Auto Pilot is old etc etc, but I am not a DC6 Pilot, I like to fly as close to reality as possible, it seems Alaska is really the only place left for the DC6 and the weather is always terrible, and I really need an Auto pilot or approach system I can rely on, or I have to clear the weather which is immersion breaking.
I thought it might be airport bound. Wrong data or something. But the FBW Airbus never gives me these problems on the same airports. Of course, that might be a completely different system, dunno how that works within the sim. But at least it shows it’s not the airport data.
hi
Is it necessary to configure each of the variants? I ask because when I went back on the a/c yesterday, the GPS was again selected (despite me setting radios in the options on the previous flight), but it was a different variant.
This is still giving you trouble? Did you try the full msfs reinstall? That fixed my ctd issue. I know another user reported a fuel consumption issue that requires a full msfs reinstall and it resolved.
I plan to wait for The Big Update next week to see if that helps. Frankly I’m suspecting that one will bring its own problems… so I’d rather wait to see if it’s stable or not. If then still these issues, I first plan a DC-6 reinstall. Then perhaps the whole thing.
And I suspect they will announce their 737 pretty soon after. It’s not unlikely they had to wait for this sim update for their 737 to work properly. Apparently they were holding off because of performance issues with the sim and glass cockpits. That should be resolved after the optimizations next week.
I’m just more or less dreading a lot of new bugs. It sounds kinda major (brace for impact)…
If it helps - reinstalling the DC-6 took all of 5 minutes. Most of the time was taken up finding the activation key. You do lose your engine hours, though, if that matters to you.
Do a round on an airport and land (no flightplan) = success
Do a round on an airport where it previously failed (no flightplan) = success
Make a flightplan to that same airport but do not plan an approach = success
So I now think the problem is the approach phase in the GPS. We all know that thing is a hot mess. So another one I want to try is make the full flightplan and delete the approach phase from the GPS. If that’s also successful I think I found the cause.
And the 4th one also a success, by removing the approach from the GPS. Then you do have to improvise a bit more or hope for some good ATC instructions. But the VLOC works.
I think this is also why the radio-people are not seeing this problem. And @kaha300d might be right: you probably have to start the flight without the GPS (not start with GPS and then switch to radios during the flight). So that approach phase can not get in the way of things.
If you look at my plan I planned the approach in to the plan, but did not add it as an approach, Maybe MSFS picked it up that way who knows? But I planned my flight in Little Nav Map.
