IT-AUTOFLIGHT V4.0.9

[Octal450]

Hello friend,
That is because you are using a JSBsim aircraft, and did not add the module which is required for a JSBsim! To find that, pls see this place on the wiki: http://wiki.flightgear.org/IT-AUTOFLIGHT#Installing
Under "if you are using a JSBsim aircraft"

Kind Regards,
Josh

[cyyz_spotter]

Ah, thanks

[cyyz_spotter]

Hmm, it does not seem to be working still for me. I added the JSBSim code (the gear-agl-ft.xml) into systems and I added the code into the aircraft set file and I changed the value inside gear-agl but I am still getting the nasal error and heading still does not work, did I miss something?

[Octal450]

Hi,
Can you please check if the property /position/gear-agl-ft is created and updating? I cannot reproduce any errors on latest ITAF. Are you sure you added the <systems> in the correction location? (inside <sim>)

Kind Regards,
Josh

[Octal450]

Hi,
By popular request. ITAF now supports custom FMA natively.

It will call 2 functions, one for lateral and one for vertical and one for armed modes when the modes change. Nothing passed so that you have the freedom to do WHATEVER logic you want! An example file is provided here:
https://github.com/Octal450/IT-AUTOFLIG ... om-fma.nas
Just remember to set custom-fma in the settings of on the config to 1 (true) to enable this functionality.

See the wiki: http://wiki.flightgear.org/IT-AUTOFLIGHT#Custom_FMA

Kind Regards,
Josh

[Octal450]

Many bugfixes going into 4.0.6 should have a stable shortly.

Going to add a few new features as well

J

[Octal450]

The latest v4.0.6 beta now supports separate HDG HLD and HDG SEL mode.
If you enable that option, the HLD button will capture current heading and not change the knob's value. SEL will follow the knob.

If you don't enable it, the logic is like before.

Kind Regards,
josh

[Octal450]

Code: Select all

V4.0.6:
[Control Loop]
* Added: Ability to separate HDG HLD and HDG SEL
* Fixed: Bug in T/O and G/A modes
* Fixed: Altitude Predictor overshoots when ALT HLD is pushed
* Fixed: Incorrect order of IAS and Mach syncing and filtering in drivers
* Fixed: IAS and Mach smoothing logic active when no system was active
* Fixed: A/THR far too slow to advance power in T/O and G/A modes

[Nasal]
* Added: Ability to separate HDG HLD and HDG SEL (New config required)
* Fixed: Possibility of switching to Mach breaks T/O and G/A CLB
* Fixed: ILS button did not disarm LNAV
* Fixed: LNAV button did not disarm LOC or ILS
* Fixed: Bad handling of armed annunciator in default GUI
* Fixed: Engaging/Disengaging Track caused a nasal error
* Fixed: Lag in Thrust Mode selection
* Changed: Default init behavior is reset-all, no more needing to specify 0
* Changed: HDG SEL/HLD Logic now calls Lateral Custom FMA Update

[GUI]
* Fixed: Armed annunciator
* Changed: SPD changed to IAS


strongly suggest updating due to the huge amount of bugs fixed

Please be advised you need to add

Code: Select all

<hdg-hld-separate>0</hdg-hld-separate> <!-- Separates the HDG HLD mode from the HDG SEL mode -->


to your config module (leave on 0 unless you need that functionality - see wiki for details)
if coming from 4.0.5.. For earlier versions check the ITAF CONFIG.txt pls for additional changes!

next version will add support for A/P trip conditions and other aircraft-integrations.

Kind Regards,
Josh

[kwanza]

Josh, I have a minor observation and suggestions:
When I define a route in the route manager, on activation, your system causes it skip the first waypoint and jump to the next one. This is helpful and saves me the effort of doing it anyway. The trouble comes if I define a route whilst airborne. The first item is actually important in this case and I want to keep it, i.e.not jump to the second one. If I try to force a jump back to the first waypoint, this results in confusion in my code that was listening to the waypoint index. Is there a way of preventing the waypoint skip if the plane is airborne, but do it automatically if the plane is on the runway?
Thanks.

[Octal450]

do it automatically if the plane is on the runway?

It should already works that way. When airborne it should only skip when its close enough... unless there is a bug. I will look into that later and let you know.

Kind Regards,
Josh

[Octal450]

Hi,
4.0.7 beta 2 is now in git with fixes to the autothrottle, as well as new speed on pitch autopilot. Testing is encouraged, its been stable in the MD-11 for a bit now.

From now on all "beta" work is in the "dev" branch, and master will receive only the stable ITAF updates, which I also put in releases https://github.com/Octal450/IT-AUTOFLIG ... ses/latest

Kind Regards,
Josh

[Octal450]

As of 4.0.7 Beta 3, the flight director pitch now outputs degrees (like roll does). No clue why I didn't have it like that before.

So you don't have to do weird math to get it to work right, I promise!

If using canvas, just translate the FD the same amount as the pitch scale (but negative as you want it to move UP to postive, while pitch scale moves DOWN to positive).

Code: Select all

me.aiHorizonTrans.setTranslation(0, Value.Ai.pitch * 10.246); # Translate Pitch Scale Ladder
me["FD_pitch"].setTranslation(0, itaf.Fd.pitchBar.getValue() * -10.246); # Translate Flight Director Bar


(Fyi, you can always get itaf.Fd.pitchBar.getValue() and itaf.Fd.rollBar.getValue(). This will get the value that ITAF's control loop calculates, if using 3D/XML you can just use the property directly)

Some of the next things will be integrations better, telling ITAF is the AP is available, if the system has power, etc. You define it, ITAF follows.

Kind Regards,
Josh

[Octal450]

Its been a while since I did any ITAF work but we have some updates.

We are up to beta 6. Bunch of improvements done.

- LOC capture will no longer turn into the intercept more, instead it waits until optimal capture point then captures
- FLARE mode no longer floats the plane too much
- Autoland optimization to fix shallowing up when the glideslope data becomes unusable before flare (50-100ft)
- General fixes and quality of life improvements
- Ability to set the default flight director state to on
- Fixed jerk in pitch if turning on an autopilot while all FD and APs are off, and the system was previously in V/S mode

There is new a VS/FPA combined logic... like how most Airbus and Boeing and MD-11 are. Where there is one control for VS and FPA, and a toggle inbetween - kinda like how IAS and Mach are. Now this behavior is possible in IT-AUTOFLIGHT without you needing to make custom interfaces. Here is how:

If you want to use this behavior (Boeing, Airbus, etc)
Simply just always set vert mode 1, and then you can set /it-autoflight/input/vs-fpa to toggle between vs and fpa. The thing will switch automatically from V/S to FPA if you are in V/S (or vice versa), but if you are not in V/S or FPA, this will just select which will be activated the next time you use the mode.

If you don't want it, and want the old behavior (E-jet):
Just don't touch /it-autoflight/input/vs-fpa ever and continue using IT-AUTOFLIGHT like normal with mode 1 (V/S) and mode 5 (FPA) No changes required.

I have already implemented this downstream into the MD-11's custom ITAF, and will likely standardize the A320 to a similar system as well -> all though he has more things to consider.

TL:DR: its better now.

Kind Regards,
Josh

[Octal450]

See page 5

Kind Regards,
Josh

[wlbragg]

Applause!