Ideal Flight Accessibility phase 3

[Steve Waite]

Also included in the next update in the Climb Assist are options to bring the flaps and gear up. The take off is controlled with a little lift at first then after a little while the climb rate is adjusted to that which is set in the I F Aircraft Flight Parameters. So take off and climb assistance works really well in the next preview. I was hoping to get it uploaded today but will have to wait till next week.

While I'm on, I found a problem in Prepar3D v5 whereby if we start the sim from opening a saved flight in Explorer so that it is opened with Prepar3D.exe, the simulator starts and goes into the flight but the flight is not paused when the saved flight states Paused. If the simulator is already running, loading a saved flight with Paused works OK. Since we check a box in I F to start paused that won't work unless the sim is already running first. This can also affect the auto-throttle in I F and some other systems, so before starting a flight pressing Pause and un-pause will straighten out things in the sim. I've included a work-around in the next Ideal Flight preview for this error in Prepar3D. P3D v4 is OK.

[Steve Waite]

Also regarding the user interface sounds; after starting Ideal Flight and it arrives at the main page (Airport/Home) the buttonactive.wav plays.

Along with the new Climb Assist feature, the next update includes a Follow GPS Route feature, also enabled in the Assist checkbox window. After take off when the aircraft is about 1000ft above the ground the GPS Drives NAV switch is set along with setting the AP master, NAV and Cruise Altitude. Works only if a current plan is enabled. With Flight Assist voice enabled in the Voice page, the Voice announces when the Climb Assist and GPS Route Assist are enabled.

Typical assistance use might be as follows: Set Rudder, Climb and Route assist in the Assist checkbox window (also available in the Other Settings page). When aligned with the runway at the start, set the flaps for takeoff. Then using the auto-throttle CONTROL+SHIFT+S, and again CONTROL+SHIFT+S to preset speeds, Then CONTROL+SHIFT+N three times to reach the Climb speed preset. After that hotkey sequence the Parking Brakes are released and the throttles are set automatically to handle the climb. The aircraft stays fairly close to the runway center line and at around 80% of the Landing Speed (set in Aircraft Flight Parameters page) the Auto Pilot is set to 200fpm and the aircraft lifts from the runway. Soon after that during a positive rate of climb, the gear and flaps are retracted and the initial climb rate is set in the AP (e.g. 700fpm see Aircraft Flight Parameters page). At around one thousand feet above ground level the AP is set to NAV and the GPS drives NAV switch is set. The aircraft continues to climb at the speed preset and follows the GPS route.

[Steve Waite]

I installed a fresh copy of Prepar3D v5.1.12.26829, the problem of P3D not starting paused has cleared and it's not due to changing P3D settings. So it was most likely due to an addon I had installed. However I'm not sure what that addon was. Anyhow, I have installed a work around in Ideal Flight in case of the problem appearing in any particular system.

[Orinks]

Now if only route assist could fly SIDs/STARs with speed and altitude restrictions and, once on the main flightplan switch to GPS nav would be amazing, simply because we don't have access to an FMC right now. We will do soon with PMDG and TFM, but Tramp does handle that with freeware aircraft we use in sim. If you import an airac IF only adds the end points of a SIDs and STARs assuming you have an FMC to add the other points.

Just thinking out loud at this point so all this to say looking forward to try out the new climb assist features particularly because the in-sim autothrottle has a lot to be desired.

[Steve Waite]

It is in the to-do list to approximate the SID and STAR with GPS waypoints for the GPS/NAV to follow. That can be coupled with the assist functions to follow the GPS route very easily. The Ideal Flight auto-throttle is working quite well and could do with being auto-switched during the route like the Voice sets.

I probably won't get the update out this week now because of other work commitments, but I will be pressing on with the upgrades as much as possible.

[Orinks]

Any new changes to the next preview? Just checking in. I know you've had other work things.

[Steve Waite]

Yes. Sorry about the delay. I've being doing a lot of testing and setting up the main Assist functions to work well. Next preview build will be very soon.

[Orinks]

Thanks for letting us know. I figured with it taking this long you were going to surprise us with the first look at taxiing lol.

[Steve Waite]

Not quite, but I have improved a lot of Assist stuff so I can move onto taxi without other jobs in the way. I'm in the middle of testing and trying to catch all the caveats and problem avoidance, nearly done. Taking a bit of time over it to get things right.

[Steve Waite]

...I have already developed a fast route searching algorithm and got the taxi auto-throttle working well.