Is it possible to have the computer control a flight from begining to end in Microsoft Flight Simulator X?

Question

If this is possible, how do I get to it or activate it, I want to be able to fly between 2 destinations and just sit back and be a passenger with the minimum pushing of buttons or controls, is this possible?

Answer 1

Hi Steve, nice to see other flight sim enthusiasts out there!

Your question might require quite a lot of planning before take off, so let's get started; It is not possible to my knowledge to have a flight 100% CPU controlled, though with the following steps you might come close...


1. PREPARE A SOLID FLIGHT PLAN:

Since you want the maximum level of automation, you need the plane to "know" in advance as many details as possible: choose a Direct GPS route, very high altitude, ... something straightforward with 2 or 3 key waypoints.

2. TAXI:

No way to avoid it; unless you start directly on the runway, you will have to taxi the good old fashion way...

3. TAKE OFF and LANDING:

These will be "semi automatic" stages, since some commands can be left to the aircraft (Heavy use of ILS, auto throttle and Approach feats) but others will require your supervision (pedal adjustments, reverse thrust, landing lights on/off, ATC etc).

Now, some addon planes have an "Auto land" function, depending on the level of realism, this is more or less suicidal...

4. IN FLIGHT:

All automatic: all you need are 3 knobs: HDG (heading), ALT (altitude), and SPD (speed)... to fine tune your flight. 90% of the time however you can chill out as a passenger.

5. CONCLUSION:

A lot will depend on how much realism is turned on: if low on realism, you might be able to let the throttle at 90% - 100% all the time and just play with the autopilot for altitude, heading, etc.

Now if you want more realism, especially including the fuselage and the forces that apply to the aircraft, such a level of automation will almost always result in a crash...

A last solution would be to "record" your flight on video from beginning to end and then to replay it, that would be full auto.

This is why while it might seem that with today's planes we can put the autopilot on and read a magazine, this is as misleading as saying that you could put cruise control on and get a nap in your car!

On the Embraer my associate and I fly twice a week in California, the panel is full of high tech features (auto this, auto that, ...) that we NEVER touch; sometimes a shortcircuit makes an alarm go off, sometimes the auto pilot resets itself in mid air, etc, you have to be ready for anything, and ready to take control anytime...

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Ok, the way aircraft autopilots work is they follow a route of pre planned radio navaids.

To get you're aircraft to fly this route, it must be first, IFR capable, and secondly, have autopilot installed.

The take off must be done manually, however this is not a hard part of the flight!

Once in the air, tune the autopilot to fly to the first of your tuned navaids by using the radios, and the autopilot to set your course. For a short flight, like EGNX - EGLL, this may only be one main fix, eg. DTY, Daventry VOR.

As you reach the end of your route, you should have a fequency for the ILS of your destination airport. TUne this into the next Nav Radio, set the course to the direction of the runway in use, and select the APR switch, to have the autopilot take you down the glideslope on the localiser.

At MAP, you must disengage the autopilot, and land yourself, however you should be at a reasonable height to find this easy!

Charts can be found at www.ais.org

Answer 4

It won' fly the ENTIRE flight, but if you do a direct flight, you just have to takeoff, and maintain autopilot.