New feature: Virtual pilot controls the take-off

[cdpohl]

Why not simply call it ENABLE and DISABLE.

[Hardy Heinlin]

Because it immediately starts the take-off roll. It will not wait.

Vice versa, when disabling it on the run, it will not stop the aircraft. It will just transfer the control to you, and the button will be greyed out.

It is actually enabled (armed) already when the button is not greyed out.

So there are already 3 levels:

• Greyed out (disabled)
• Enabled (now you can push "Initiate")
• Initiated (now you can push "Disable")

[cagarini]

Well, in fact my option to INITIATE never becomes available - it's always greyed out :-(

I pick any of the default takeoff situs and when I go to Human - Pilot the option is always greyed...

EDIT: It is erratic.... Sometimes it becomes available, sometimes never ... If I restart PSX it can become available.

Ok, think I found the culprit: If I change the weather or time from the initial default situation, the "INITIATE" button greys out and never becomes available again. This happens for instance when after selecting the situ I chose to fetch METAR weather, which updates the date/time to the presente UTC amd METAR weather...

[Hardy Heinlin]

Can't reproduce your problem. Weather changes have no effect on the grey-out function.

The button is greyed out when any of the following conditions is true:

• Time acceleration factor is higher than 1
• Active FMC departure runway does not exist
• Aircraft not on the ground
• Groundspeed higher than 10
• Any gear not down
• Thrust lever 1 out of idle <<< check this in particular
• Pitch mode not TO/GA
• AFDS status not F/D
• A/T ARM switch off
• Any engine not running
• Any EICAS warning, caution, or advisory message exists
• Flap lever not at 10 or 20
• Along-centerline distance from take-off threshold greater than 9000 ft (takes FMC POS SHIFT entry into account)
• Difference between runway heading and aircraft heading greater than 10°
• Distance from centerline greater than 20 ft

[cagarini]

Might indeed be throttles not precisely at iddle ( I have a single throttle lever in my T16000 ), or the fact that I was not aware that most default departure situs include malfunctions...

Anyway Hardy, you can test the default "01 Departure 009" SITU : Córdoba - Santiago. Load it, go to the "Pilot" page to check that the INITIATE is available, then change to weather and select METAR download, and promptly get back to the "Pilot" page... You'll be able to see the INITIATE option greying In, then Out again... ( give it some time )

[torrence]

Now, to get even more meta, we need a simulated human user operating PSX. As in, pressing "Initiate the human initiating the takeoff," a new piece of software will open the instructor page by pressing Esc, then move the mouse to the "Initiate" button, and press it with a mouse click.

Sorry - I am not a 'real' simulated human.  I only play one on TV...

Cheers
Torrence

[JohnH]

I am unable to get the F11 key to activate the virtual pilot. I am using an iMac with Sierra and the bluetooth keyboard. When I press F11 it lowers the volume, if I press Fn F11 it removes PSX from the screen and shows the desktop?

Thanks John

[martin]

Moi,

we need a simulated human user operating PSX

Sounds dangerously like infinite recursion. What will the cut-off criterion be?
Perhaps a captcha at some level?
 

Cheers,
martin(martin(martin(martin(martin( "2743?"

[Will]

Martin, it's turtles, all the way down!

[Will]

Two things, Hardy.


1. It looks like the throttles snap instantly to vertical once the "Initiate" button is pressed. Any chance the virtual pilot could move them a little more slowly?


2. Load a situ in which your aircraft is ready to go on takeoff, such as Basic 004. Let the virtual pilot start the takeoff. Then reload the situ. The virtual pilot remains engaged, so the aircraft starts another takeoff right away! It might be better if it could be automatically disabled at situ reset.

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

"LAUNCH"

[Hardy Heinlin]

I am unable to get the F11 key to activate the virtual pilot. I am using an iMac with Sierra and the bluetooth keyboard. When I press F11 it lowers the volume, if I press Fn F11 it removes PSX from the screen and shows the desktop?

If the F11 key is assigned to the iMac's volume control (in OSX System Preferences), the F11 key is not assigned to PSX. In that case you can only use the button on the Pilot page.


Regards,

|-|ardy

[Hardy Heinlin]

1. It looks like the throttles snap instantly to vertical once the "Initiate" button is pressed. Any chance the virtual pilot could move them a little more slowly?


2. Load a situ in which your aircraft is ready to go on takeoff, such as Basic 004. Let the virtual pilot start the takeoff. Then reload the situ. The virtual pilot remains engaged, so the aircraft starts another takeoff right away! It might be better if it could be automatically disabled at situ reset.

1. There is a chance. But I don't want to take that chance. Too expensive.

2. When you load an old situ, the virtual pilot status is not saved in that old situ. Thus, it won't reset. You need to save the situ in PSX 10.1.0 to reload the saved virtual pilot status.


Regards,

|-|ardy

[Will]

1. Got it.


2. Aha, thanks.

[Will]

I am unable to get the F11 key to activate the virtual pilot. I am using an iMac with Sierra and the bluetooth keyboard. When I press F11 it lowers the volume, if I press Fn F11 it removes PSX from the screen and shows the desktop?

Go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts, and under Mission Control, uncheck the "Show Desktop" box. With that box checked, fn-F11 will take you to the desktop. With the box unchecked, fn-F11 will Initiate the virtual pilot.

[Hardy Heinlin]

Anyway Hardy, you can test the default "01 Departure 009" SITU : Córdoba - Santiago. Load it, go to the "Pilot" page to check that the INITIATE is available, then change to weather and select METAR download, and promptly get back to the "Pilot" page... You'll be able to see the INITIATE option greying In, then Out again... ( give it some time )

Yes, I see. But this lasts just a second. This is because the METAR download activation changes the sim time to the real-world UTC and calendar date, and that requires the virtual engineer to change the virtual FMC nav database cycle. Before it is set, the message NAV DATA OUT OF DATE appears for a second, along with the associated advisory "FMC MESSAGE" on the EICAS. This temporary EICAS message causes the temporary grey-out.


Regards,

|-|ardy

[cagarini]

Right Hardy,

thx for the additional answer.

And when it lasted for the whole session it had either to do with the fact that the SITU itself started with some malfunctions - that I was not aware of... - or my T1600 very small "throttle" lever was badly positioned, out of idle...

I did an experiment today and was amazed by the proficiency of your virtual pilot !  During takeoff, just above Vr, I cut #1, followed by #2 and #3... The pilot managed to land the aircraft ahead and bring it to a full stop without a crash!

Well he actually tried to fly the aircraft, and continue to climb on one engine, but it stalled, just above the rw, and eventually "landed", after which the virtual pilot maintained it in centreline and brought it to a full stop with success!

If, IRL, right after V1, these three engines failed, in sequence, in less than 30 '', what would a real crew do ?

[Hardy Heinlin]

Well he actually tried to fly the aircraft, and continue to climb on one engine, but it stalled ...

If it landed without crashing, I guess the aircraft didn't stall; just the stick shaker activated. Remember, the stick shaker is a stall warning that activates before the actual stall. It warns in advance, not when it's too late.

In a no-thrust situation where you need to reduce the sinkrate for the flare and at the same time avoid a stall, all you can do is fly an airspeed just a few knots above stall speed. It will not stall; just the warning may sound (on any aircraft type).


|-|

[JohnH]

I am unable to get the F11 key to activate the virtual pilot. I am using an iMac with Sierra and the bluetooth keyboard. When I press F11 it lowers the volume, if I press Fn F11 it removes PSX from the screen and shows the desktop?

Go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts, and under Mission Control, uncheck the "Show Desktop" box. With that box checked, fn-F11 will take you to the desktop. With the box unchecked, fn-F11 will Initiate the virtual pilot.

That solved the problem, thanks so much!  John

[torrence]

Can't reproduce your problem. Weather changes have no effect on the grey-out function.

The button is greyed out when any of the following conditions is true:

• Time acceleration factor is higher than 1
• Active FMC departure runway does not exist
• Aircraft not on the ground
• Groundspeed higher than 10
• Any gear not down
• Thrust lever 1 out of idle <<< check this in particular
• Pitch mode not TO/GA
• AFDS status not F/D
• A/T ARM switch off
• Any engine not running
• Any EICAS warning, caution, or advisory message exists
• Flap lever not at 10 or 20
• Along-centerline distance from take-off threshold greater than 9000 ft (takes FMC POS SHIFT entry into account)
• Difference between runway heading and aircraft heading greater than 10°
• Distance from centerline greater than 20 ft

Another thing check for causing greyed out INITIATE box is the last bullet "Distance from centerline greater than 20ft".  I had missed that one and couldn't figure out why I couldn't do an auto take-off.  I was using a situ file that I had made for TO after a (sloppy) taxi to the runway - wasn't lined up properly.  To be sure this condition is met use  Position > KLAX or whatever  and select "Take off" for the runway desired when you move the plane.

Cheers,
Torrence