As mentioned in another thread about the copilot / autopilot interfering massivly although switched off, this happened again today and I figured out the pattern. I tried it three times afterwards with different planes (Dash8, LearJet, Cessna), and it happend everytime! Following is a description how to reproduce. The actual error is the autopilot still trying to keep altitude although switched off. The first few steps are just to make it reproducable quickly.
- Select plane from the menu
- Select a starting point in the air, lets's say 5,000 feet
- start flight
- Activate autopilot, press CTR for level flight (speed setting does not matter)
- select a lower designated autopilot altitude, let's say 2,500 feet
- select a V/S for descent, let's say 1,000 fpm
- Before reaching the altitude, I change my mind and deactive the autopilot by touching that on/off button - all buttons are white now
- Flaps 1, steady descent, zero throttle (depends on plane, of course)
- AND NOW IT GETS HAIRY: When approaching the selected altitude, I see that the V/S of the autopilot (although switched off!) increases (see instruments or HUD view), until it even reaches positive values.
- I do not move the device, but elevator goes back (can't see whether it's trimming or autopilot moving)
- Result: Plane pitches up when reaching the altitude or is already below - but thrust is still idle, or at least way too low for achieving these V/S values - results in unusual attitudes or bevahviour.
- Flaps are also retracted and extracted by copilot
- ALL THIS WHILE FLYING MANUALLY!
- It's quite a fight to get the plane under control again, it feels completely out of trim, but at a certain stage, autopilot is not messing up any more.
Would be good of you could reproduce - and solve - this.
Thanks,
Patrick