new guy AP Questions

[dakotaboy]

I had forgotten and haven't looked at this Forum for months so am way behind the curve on HDX settings and operations. My 2013 Sport Cruiser has dual HDX's, 796, Garmin GNC-255 Comm/Nav plus AP Panel. I'm trying to learn how to use the systems and request your help in creating easy AP Short Cut Settings. Am playing with the 2 following examples:

HDG & ALT Only:
1. HDG - Enter De:sired
2. ALT - Hit
3. Heading - Hit
4. AP - Hit
This seems to work most times, but have to hit AP again

Direct To: With/ALT Hold:
1. Source - Select Skyview or 796
2. Destination: Enter Airport ID
3. NAV - do I need to hit??
4. Heading: Enter Estimated & Hit
5. ALT - Hit
6. AP - Hit

I play with these short cuts and they work some times. Also, I have no clue as to programing the VOR & Approach functions on the Garmin GNC-255.
I talked with Dynon last winter and looked forward to their training sessions at Oshkosh, but Covid 19 took care of that. Any help, or direction to find help
will really be appreciated. Thank you Arnie

 

[Raymo]

Yes, you use the NAV button to follow the GPS course on a direct or non-direct flight plan. You would also enter the desired altitude and select ALT. I prefer to use TRK instead of HDG, so the AP will compensate for winds.

 

[DBRV10]

The autopilot in expert mode is rather like an airliner or such. You need to think in a way like I am about to describe, as best I can on a keyboard.

Firstly the Flight Mode Annuciator strip at the top of the screen is your window to what is going on. These is telling you what you have asked the Flight Director to do. The AP simply follows the FD. So you control the FD not the AP. The flight director commands you when hand flying to achieve what you asked of it, or when the AP engages it just takes your role and follows the FD.

If it aint in the FMA strip......it aint happening!

Next think of lateral and vertical as two seperate but similar control philosophies. In each case you need to think WHERE DO I WANT TO GO and also HOW DO I GET THERE.

An example, simply heading or track, say 160 degrees and I wan to go that direction at 7000'. Set the heading bug to 160 and set the ALT preselect to 7000, take off. We have set up our where we want to go, now we need to instruct the FD on how to achieve these targets. Firstly we will use either HDG or TRK to get along the 160 degrees, whichever is appropriate. Now how to we get to 7000'? We climb (always) in IAS mode, so let the plane accelerate to your desired climb (say 120 knots for most RV's etc) and hit IAS which will capture the current IAS. You can adjust this from now on.

What we have now is a FD showing a turn to achieve the lateral outcome, and a pitch up to achieve the vertical outcome. You can hand fly rolling the FD or engage the AP servo's and achieve the same result. The AP just replaces your hands and feet.

If you want to use the GPS flight plan or a VOR input, use NAV mode, but if you are outside the capture zone you will need to fly into the capture zone either by hand or using the HDG/TRK modes and a heading that will eventually intercept your flight planned track. If you hit NAV and are outside the zone and you hit TRK, the FMA will show TRK->NAV and the track number you have bugged. Once the capture happens the FD will transition automatically from TRK to GPS or GPSS (depending on the input type).

Same applies to the climb, when you approach the 7000' the FMA will show IAS120->ALT7000 and it will transition to ALT mode. For descent you dial in a lower altitude and hit the Nose down or VS and adjust the rate you want, or if using a VNAV profile hit VNAV and when the GS comes down from above you it will lock on and capture.

WOW........that is a big description. Hope it helps.

 

[dakotaboy]

Wow, thanks for the great responses guys! Will "play" with these ideas in a day or two. Don't have a single round dial in my panel and glass panel avionics is quite a challenge for we "senior" types. Arnie

 

[RV8JD]

The Dynon training videos on its YouTube channel were very helpful to me, both in using the SkyView and using the autopilot. There are several videos explaining the use of the Simplified Mode and Expert Mode of the autopilot. Most are using a SkyView Touch, but the HDX is similar. There are some videos that show the use of the HDX also.

https://www.youtube.com/user/DynonAvionics

 

[DBRV10]

If you are transitioning from old school NAV systems and round instruments, it will take around 20 hours for you to get competent, and if IFR, I would not fly in IMC until you have gotten fully comfortable with these systems. Even current IFR pilots need several hours if they go from something like an airliner or G1000 equipped platform to say my 3 screen HDX and GTN system.

We are all human after all.