User manual

F4-BMS 2.0 Technical Manual

9.1 GUIDELINES FOR AP USE

Keep in mind that the AP manages pitch and roll inputs for you but you retain control of the

throttle. Particularly with pitch ATT HLD modes, you will quickly see the AP disconnect because it

exceeds available angle of attack if too low a power setting is selected via the throttle.

Use caution when engaging the pitch ATT HLD mode AP with a negative pitch angle. The jet will

happily fly you into the terrain if you run out of altitude. The VMS system will of course still warn

you that this is about to happen.

The AP Override control is always available if you want to take temporary control of the jet while

the AP is on and engaged and you have something other than pitch and/or roll attitude hold

modes selected. I.e. to change altitude when you have the AP in ALT HLD mode, depress the

AP override, dial in the new required altitude with the stick and then release the AP override.

For both pitch and altitude hold modes, the AP will take a little time to “settle” at the requested

altitude or pitch; sometimes this can be a minute or more. This time will likely be on the longer

side for higher pitch angles and/or lower power (throttle) settings. If you select a high pitch angle

with relatively low power and/or a hefty load out, the AP may not be able to settle at the

requested pitch reference angle before exceeding AP operating limits and self-disengaging. This

may look like the AP is not working but in practice you just requested it to hold a flight condition

that is not within the AP’s flight envelope.

If it looks like the pitch mode AP switch appears not to move from the center position when you

try to turn on the AP, take this as a hint that one of the conditions than causes the self-centering

AP switch to self-center applies! With a real switch you’d try to move it and it would spring back.

The game graphics do move the switch but it springs back in one frame so it may appear not to

have moved at all.