Is there any documentation available to explain the upgrades to the AP for the LJ45 and 737?

  • Now that the wait is over and the upgrades are in place, how do we know what the changes are and how do we benefit from the upgrades? Surely we aren't expected to each discover the changes on our own.

    Regards,

    Ray

  • The Early Access Change Log found in the wiki is just that - a list of changes. When trying to isolate the specific changes to the Learjet I find bits and pieces mixed in with statements about 'the airliners' but it is really difficult to separate the chaff from the wheat, so to speak.

    There is one bullet list specific for the LJ45, but surely there is a lot more detail needed to fully understand the changes . These are exciting times for sure, but, it is like a kid getting a high tech Christmas present and saying, wow, this is really nice, what is it? Well, son I don't see any operating instructions in the package, maybe we can find something online.

    Regards,

    Ray

    • Official Post

    I'm going to add a more detailed update-log to the forums shortly, probably later this day.

    Short summary for the lj45 (out of my head):

    - added source selection for the autopilot and with that the different modes when pressing "NAV": FMS, VOR; as well as pressing "APPR": FMS+VNAV, LOC+GS

    - changed flight director pushbuttons to clear only (as it sais in the manual of the aircraft I have)

    - corrected the basic modes to be ROL and PIT

    - added FLC speed profile and FLCH high speed profile

    - corrected: VS always synchronizes, IAS always synchronized with "SPD" engagement

    - added: MACH hold and mach toggle on PFD

    - added 360° turning capability when turning hdg knob left or right by more than 180°

    - added: deselection of modes possible (click button again): returns to basic modes

    - added: autopilot inhibited as long as there is a yellow warning... currently this loops around itself and is the only thing I can think of that causes troubles. But the disconnect warning only triggers when the autopilot disengages on its own or is set off and is only active for 5 seconds: AP FAIL. During AP FAIL you cannot reengage the autopilot, you have to wait 5s. At least that is how I interpreted the manual and that is what I simulated.

    Well the thing is there is one advanced autopilot that can handle all of the airliners. So the one autopilot is the new and updated thing and it supports pretty much all needs for all of the airliners. Now the LJ45 can be flown pretty much by the book, here is an abstract of how to use the AP (if it finally decides to engage on your computer):

    To display the flight director and select a mode press any of the mode key on the autopilot panel. E.g. press "HDG" to select the lateral heading mode. This will also select the basic vertical mode: pitch hold. By pressing "FLC" or "V/S" or "SPD" you can select the vertical modes flight level change, vertical speed or indicated airspeed hold, this will select a basic lateral if none was selected before.

    When the selection has been made you can either follow the flight director manually or set the autopilot on and make it follow the flight director guidance.

    When you want to disconnect the autopilot click the autopilot master again or use the autopilot disconnect pushbutton (assignable in the controls). To clear the flight directors press the left FD and right FD pushbuttons. (Or right click either to automatically clear both sides).

    Note: the FD buttons are clear buttons, they cannot engage the flight director.

    Would you like to hear about the different modes as well?

    I mean this can easily end up in a tutorial and we plan on writing those for the airliners soon.


    To capture an altitude in the LJ45 you don't have to do much. When you climb in SPD, FLC, FLCH, VS or PIT the flight director will command the altitude capture.

    At any time during the climb or descent you can interrupt the vertical path by pushing ALT to instantly level off, even if you are away from your selected altitude. To continue the climb or descent select a vertical mode again.

  • Jan,

    Wonderful work, and I personally thank you.

    Jim. Taranakian.

    Computer: PB Gaming 62000 Skylake Core i5 6600, Quad Core 3.3Ghz with Premium Cooling, 16GB DDR4 Gaming Ram, 250GB SSD, 2TB HHD, N'VIDEA GTX 1070 8GB GDDR5, DIRECTX12 Gaming Graphic's Card, VR Ready, Windows10 Home Edition, 64bit, 2 x 24" Widescreen HDMI 1080p VDU's

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  • Thanks Jan,

    I also appreciate you having a good memory. Yes, absolutely for sure we need a tutorial for the LJ45 as much as the airliners need one.

    I keep thinking I will update mine and publish it on the 'fan' site, but, I just haven't found the time.

    I have all the manuals as well, and any differences will become apparent.

    How about the other items like the Crew Alert/Warnings and such? Any work done on the poor performance above FL390? How about the Fuel system? FMS? Throttle detents?

    I personally am glad to see any improvements and especially those to do with auto flight?

    Is the Co Pilot system also being upgraded?

    Regards,

    Ray

    • Official Post

    There is a detailed listing of what was included in the advanced autopilot update posted in the CHANGE LOG on the Wiki.

    We will be adding more detailed information, as Jan said, shortly. We all need to come up for air first :)

    IPACS Development Team Member

    I'm just a cook, I don't own the restaurant.
    On behalf of Torsten, Marc, and the rest of the IPACS team, we would all like to thank you for your continued support.

    Regards,

    Jeff

  • I mean this can easily end up in a tutorial and we plan on writing those for the airliners soon.

    Jan,

    Can we assume that a tutorial will also be written for the Learjet 45 that includes many of the new autopilot update features? I realize the Lear is not "an airliner" but it still needs a good flight tutorial.

    As a suggestion, I would like to see an example RNAV approach in the Lear. I haven't read anything about WAAS enabled approaches. Is this something that may already be included, but not specifically mentioned ?

    Regards,


    Ray

    • Official Post

    Jan,

    Can we assume that a tutorial will also be written for the Learjet 45 that includes many of the new autopilot update features? I realize the Lear is not "an airliner" but it still needs a good flight tutorial.

    As a suggestion, I would like to see an example RNAV approach in the Lear. I haven't read anything about WAAS enabled approaches. Is this something that may already be included, but not specifically mentioned ?

    Regards,


    Ray

    I plan on doing that yes.

    No idea what WAAS is yet, so I guess not? Maybe implemented by "accident" :)

    • Official Post

    WAAS is a new standard that the FAA is rolling out for precision approaches.

    Wide Area Augmentation System

    IPACS Development Team Member

    I'm just a cook, I don't own the restaurant.
    On behalf of Torsten, Marc, and the rest of the IPACS team, we would all like to thank you for your continued support.

    Regards,

    Jeff

  • WAAS is a new standard that the FAA is rolling out for precision approaches.

    Wide Area Augmentation System

    Not exactly new. Mid 2009, if I remember correctly. There are now more LPV approaches in the US than ILS approaches.

    https://www.faa.gov/about/office_o…AAS_QFSheet.pdf

    Regards,

    Ray

  • I plan on doing that yes.

    No idea what WAAS is yet, so I guess not? Maybe implemented by "accident" :)

    Jan, see if you can fly an LPV approach to any airport in the USA in the A320 and LJ45.

    Regards,


    Ray

    • Official Post

    If I setup a flight plan in Aerofly FS 2 using the navigation dialog I basically create an approach to any airport I like. And I can fly that approach in any aircraft that uses the advance autopilot.

    If the autopilot receives an ILS signal or if an ILS is manually selected in the LJ45 I switch over to ILS approach mode, then if you press "APPR" it arms LOC and G/S. But if you don't have an ILS it basically flies the flight plan all the way to 50ft AGL where it disconnects because I don't allow it to to a fully automated landing. Technically I could do a fully automatic landing on any runway in Aerofly but since this isn't possible in the real world I never fully programmed that.

    So as mentioned, the LNAV and VNAV (APP NAV and FINAL in the A320) just follow the flight plan down towards the runway, so in a sense you can treat that as RNAV GPS approaches but our currently simulated GPS or IRS systems have a precision of 0.0 nano meters to the actual aircraft position, because its just the exact same position. So call it what you want basically, there is no real world approach selected in the flight route yet so I can't really say if it's RNAV or WAAS or LPV or so on.

    Call it cheating but this is the advantage of having direct access to the real position in the sim as well as the exact target point on the runway, the exact speed and ground track, etc. It's a bit easier for us than in the real world where you have bad GPS reception or some GPS offset.

    Btw. did you know that if you place a GPS receiver onto one precisely determined point on the runway or airfield that you can measure the current offset of the GPS and then send that offset vector to an approaching aircraft? That way you can get the precision down from 30m to maybe 1m. Enough to hit the center line with GPS only. (But that requires infrastructure on the ground)