Autoflyte: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 21:08, 1 June 2026

The Autoflyte System is a trademark of Orpex. It is synonymous with autopilot and can be used interchangably. The system is also abbreviated AFCS for Autoflyte Control System.

Flight Director

The Flight Director (also referred to as command bars) gives visual cues to the pilot on the artificial horizon. They show how the Autoflyte system suggests attitude changes to achieve the desired altitude, airspeed, heading, etc. Use the "f" key to toggle it on and off.

Lateral Modes

Cycle through these modes by pressing the "c" key. Change the desired bank, heading, and radial with the "[" and "]" keys.

T/O - Takeoff mode (also referred to as TOGA) is the default mode with weight-on-wheels and allows the keyboard pilot to bank left/right or return to wings level if no input is given
ROL - Roll mode is the default mode airborne, dictates the desired bank angle
HDG - Heading mode will turn the vehicle to the desired heading
NAV - Navigation mode will intercept and track a radial to/from the waypoint selected in the Waypoint Manager (when it is first engaged it will select a "Direct-to-intercept" course)

With the NAV mode engaged, the LOC will appear in standby if the current waypoint is a LOM (Locator Outer Marker, see GLS) waypoint

LOC - Localizer mode automatically appears within certain tolerances of an IAF while NAV/MSL are armed

1/2 BANK mode will automatically engage above 31,600 feet MSL when the IAS is above Vs. 
This will restrict the flight director to 15 degrees of bank instead of 30 degrees of bank.

Vertical Modes

Cycle through these modes by pressing the "v" key. Change the desired pitch, vertical speed, altitude, or indicated speed using the ";" and "/" keys.

T/O - Takeoff mode (also referred to as TOGA) is the default mode with weight-on-wheels and allows the keyboard pilot to increase/decrease the ROC (rate of climb) momentarily or return to level if no input is given
PIT - Pitch mode is the default mode, dictates the desired pitch attitude (limited to 20° nose-high)
V/S - Vertical Speed mode will adjust pitch to attain the desired climb/descent rate
MSL - MSL mode will maintain the selected altitude in km MSL
AGL - AGL mode will maintain the selected altitude in km AGL (from the radio altimeter, will not accept values below 0 meters AGL)
IAS - IAS mode will vary the pitch attitude in order to maintain the target IAS (will not accept values below 0 m/s IAS

When the lateral mode is NAV and a LOM (Locator Outer Marker, see GLS) waypoint is active the G/S will appear in standby

G/S - Glideslope mode automatically appears within certain tolerances of an IAF while NAV/MSL are armed

Coupling

You can fly the ship by hand using the flight director information displayed on the artificial horizon, or you can "couple" it and let the aircraft/aerospace vehicle fly itself. To engage/disengage the Autoflyte system, press the "F10" key.

Special Modes

DOR (Directional Orbital Recalibration) automatically fires thrust to circularize an orbit
TVM (Target Velocity Match) automatically fires thrust to match the velocity (or to zero the relative velocity) with the selected target

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+[[Image:fd1.jpg|thumb|200px|Flight Director]]
+The [[Autoflyte]] System is a trademark of [[:Category:Orpex|Orpex]].  It is synonymous with ''autopilot'' and can be used interchangably. The system is also abbreviated ''AFCS'' for ''Autoflyte Control System''.
 ===Flight Director===
-[[Image:fd.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Flight Director]]
+The Flight Director (also referred to as ''command bars'') gives visual cues to the pilot on the [[artificial horizon]].  They show how the Autoflyte system suggests attitude changes to achieve the desired altitude, airspeed, heading, etc. Use the "f" [[controls|key]] to toggle it on and off.<br/>
-The Flight Director (aka. Command Bars) are the first thing you will need to be able to turn on and off. They are the two yellow bars the [[AutoFlyte|autopilot]] puts on the [[artificial horizon]].  They show were the [[AutoFlyte|autopilot]] thinks you should be heading. Use the "f" key to toggle it on and off.<br/>
 ===Lateral Modes===
-Cycle through these modes by pressing the "c" key.  Change the desired bank, heading, and radial with the "[" and "]" keys.
+Cycle through these modes by pressing the "c" [[controls|key]].  Change the desired bank, heading, and radial with the "[" and "]" [[controls|keys]].
-*ROL - Roll mode is the default mode, dictates the desired bank angle
+*'''T/O''' - Takeoff mode (also referred to as TOGA) is the default mode with weight-on-wheels and allows the keyboard pilot to bank left/right or return to wings level if no input is given
-*HDG - Heading mode will turn the vehicle to the desired heading
+*'''ROL''' - Roll mode is the default mode airborne, dictates the desired bank angle
-*NAV - Navigation mode will intercept and track a radial to/from the [[WAYPT]] selected in the [[organizer]] (when it is first engaged it will select a "Direct-to-intercept"
+*'''HDG''' - Heading mode will turn the vehicle to the desired heading
+*'''NAV''' - Navigation mode will intercept and track a radial to/from the [[waypoint]] selected in the [[Waypoint Management|Waypoint Manager]] (when it is first engaged it will select a "Direct-to-intercept" course)
+With the '''NAV''' mode engaged, the '''LOC''' will appear in standby if the current waypoint is a LOM (Locator Outer Marker, see [[GLS]]) waypoint
+*'''LOC''' - Localizer mode automatically appears within certain tolerances of an [[IAF]] while NAV/MSL are armed
+/2 BANK mode will automatically engage above 31,600 feet MSL when the IAS is above Vs.
+ This will restrict the flight director to 15 degrees of bank instead of 30 degrees of bank.
 ===Vertical Modes===
-Cycle through these modes by pressing the "v" key.  Change the desired pitch, vertical speed, altitude, or indicated speed using the ";" and "/" keys.
+Cycle through these modes by pressing the "v" [[controls|key]].  Change the desired pitch, vertical speed, altitude, or indicated speed using the ";" and "/" [[controls|keys]].
-*PIT - Pitch mode is the default mode, dictates the desired pitch attitude
+*'''T/O''' - Takeoff mode (also referred to as TOGA) is the default mode with weight-on-wheels and allows the keyboard pilot to increase/decrease the ROC (rate of climb) momentarily or return to level if no input is given
-*V/S - Vertical speed mode will adjust pitch to attain the desired climb/descent rate
+*'''PIT''' - Pitch mode is the default mode, dictates the desired pitch attitude (limited to 20° nose-high)
-*MSL - [[MSL]] mode will maintain the selected altitude in [[km]] [[MSL]]
+*'''V/S''' - Vertical Speed mode will adjust pitch to attain the desired climb/descent rate
-*AGL - [[AGL]] mode will maintain the selected altitude in [[km]] [[AGL]] (from the radio altimeter)
+*'''MSL''' - [[MSL]] mode will maintain the selected altitude in [[kilometer|km]] [[MSL]]
-*IAS - [[IAS]] mode will vary the pitch attitude in order to maintain the target [[IAS]]
+*'''AGL''' - [[AGL]] mode will maintain the selected altitude in [[kilometer|km]] [[AGL]] (from the radio altimeter, will not accept values below 0 [[meter|meters]] [[AGL]])
+*'''IAS''' - [[IAS]] mode will vary the pitch attitude in order to maintain the target [[IAS]] (will not accept values below 0 [[meter|m]]/s [[IAS]]
+When the lateral mode is NAV and a LOM (Locator Outer Marker, see [[GLS]]) waypoint is active the '''G/S''' will appear in standby
+*'''G/S''' - Glideslope mode automatically appears within certain tolerances of an [[IAF]] while NAV/MSL are armed
 ===Coupling===
-You can fly the ship by hand using the Flight Director information displayed on the artificial horizon, or you can couple it up and let the [[aircraft]]/[[spacecraft]] fly itself. To engage/disengage the [[AutoFlyte]] system, press the "F10" key.<br>
+You can fly the ship by hand using the [[Autoflyte#Flight_Director|flight director]] information displayed on the [[artificial horizon]], or you can "couple" it and let the [[:Category:Aircraft|aircraft]]/[[:Category:Aerospace Vehicles|aerospace vehicle]] fly itself.  To engage/disengage the Autoflyte system, press the "F10" [[controls|key]].<br>
- This will only use control surfaces, not thrust augmentation, so make sure you have adequate airspeed.
+===Special Modes===
+*DOR (Directional Orbital Recalibration) automatically fires thrust to circularize an orbit
+*[[TVM]] (Target Velocity Match) automatically fires thrust to match the velocity (or to zero the relative velocity) with the selected target
+[[Category:Getting Started]]