Lesson in autopilot

yoni63 · Post by **yoni63** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 2:56 pm

"Well, did a Atlas charter yesterday, while in the middle, I had to leave due to job call out, so I figured at most I would be gone an hour, so I just hoped things would go well! My instructor pilot years ago told me this: Murphy's Law, if anything can go wrong..... IT WILL. So when I got back, my 744 had made two circles in the middle of the flight plan for who knows why, and was climbing out of FL120... When I had originally left it, I was level at FL350? So just a lesson, be it updated weather problem, or just a glitch in the FMC... Who knows?"

rossspargo · Post by **rossspargo** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 3:47 pm

":lol: I had the same problem in the 742!!! My problems were that I had 2 failures at once whilst i took the dog out! 1) Fire Eng 3 2) Full Autopilot Failure

When i got back, i found that i was nicely descending, passing 5000ft and with engine 3 out, descending in a circular pattern

"

chevol · Post by **chevol** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 7:23 pm

I also noticed the following unexpected failures (744): - Gear goes down preventing climb: it is retracted on time after take off but suddenly it is down...this is hard to see because of zoom preventing from seing gear handle. - VNAV speed disconnects and plane goes into overspeed... - autopilot goes off and causes a big dive. One of those usually happens just when I go out for a minute or so. Strange! it happens every flight... even if failures are all turned off! I am now training my dog to keep an eye and listen to the bells! It just shows that pilots have a real role to play. Luc

cyoo eddie · Post by **cyoo eddie** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 10:55 pm

"Luc, I have never experience those kind of failures that you have stated on the 744. Maybe you need to take the plane in for maintainance.

Are you using another program to control flaps and gear, like fs2crew or fdc? Fsnav to navigate for you? You dont have a cat that walks over the keyboard when you leave the room do you?

"

yoni63 · Post by **yoni63** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 2:07 am

"Hey Ed, I did suspect one of two "felines" residing here!!!!! One if them which is a young one and she did ONCE, and I repeat ONCE! waltz across my keyboard about 45 minutes into my flight one night. Needless to say, I took her to "ground" school right away! I haven't seen her do it again, but then again, I wasn't present so she is SUSPECT!

Also, on the VNAV issue, I have experienced the same thing, AC went into overspeed twice, hence I immediately went to manual on everything and reset the whole shabang and again it ignored the VNAV, but third time it accepted the command and flew normally the rest of the flight. I just chalked it up to FS9 weather update but wasn't sure?"

chevol · Post by **chevol** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 3:36 am

"No Ed, no cat! may be I shld get one because I do see a few mice around, they may be nesting in the PC... jokes aside it is a bit strange and it doesn't happen with Level D Luc"

Post by **esurfman** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 10:22 am

Just re-click the VNAV button and the speed will be re-controlled by the auto-throttle.

Brogs · Post by **Brogs** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 10:32 am

"Had the same the other day with a flight from EHAM-CYQX in the 742,came back with the Dog and I was down in the Atlantic, you have got to be on your guard with the 742, it went into a stall for no reason on the re-flight, it was on autopilot at the time and all of a sudden she starts to lose speed, so by the time I,d noticed, when the warning went off, ATC was yelling at me and I was struggling in manual to get her right, but after that all went smoothly, You really have to watch her ! she,s caught me a few times especially on approach ! Safe Landings, Mike

"

Gustavo · Post by **Gustavo** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 9:35 pm

"Hi, I've experienced the VNAV problem too discovering the aircraft went to overspeed, and not accepting VNAV again till speed came back to below overspeed. regards."

Mike Schmitt · Post by **Mike Schmitt** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 10:14 am

"Sounds like a Maint order I read once on another site from a pilot. Forget what airline. The problem reported, Mouse in Cockpit.... Repair noted Cat installed.... LOL Sounds like that may apply here call me an optimist"