autopilot is something i expect getting to in a semi-near future....
it's just a bunch of command targets and PID loops, really... after what i''ve been through with those damn cotrollers at my job recently, this shouldn't really be any major hurdle at all (compared to getting a ragdoll to stay on top of a tumbling stunt motorbike, and make it FUN) :shifty:
but then i figured - there's no point in making any RCS-capable autopilot... there are several MFD's which are already capable of that, so there's a wheel i'm not set on reinventing a any time soon
so i'll stick mostly to coding atmospheric ACS autopilot features - those aren't anything Orbiter can offer from its very extensive set of built-in features, nor somethng you should have to rely on addon MFD's for... so that's my thing to make it happen, i guess
attitude hold would be a first priority for any autopilot.... kinda because, well... all the other functions are more or less based around holding a particular attitude, anyways...
so that's gotta do you some help during those reentries.... also, the fuel-transfer CoG shift device has gotta be automated too... just like on the concorde - it should adapt to keep along with the center of lift somehow so the resulting torque is minimized
seems like a job for another PID loop :thumbup:
edit -- almost got censored over a missing character in the word "shift" :uhh::leaving:
edit again --
the reason i gave the afterburner controls so much thought is exactly because i was aiming to achieve something very straightforward to operate but that at the same time, didn't leave you with a jumping throttle when you set it on and off...
a separate throttle was my first idea, waaay back.... it was then scrapped because that would mean an extra axis to manipulate - a far more inconvenient workload, specially considering the amount of axes available is direly limited :blink:
the solution then was to map a section of the FADEC to the burners, as it is in the currently released WIP.... but that's also not optimal, because you have to deal either with a lower-than-full RPM or a major dead-zone/throttle jump issue
the solution -- with throttle at full, hold the reheat trigger (spacebar for you, a little thumb button on the FADEC for the "pilot"), then pull the throttle back to where you want the split point to be, RPM will NOT decrease, since you're basically moving the point where it maps to full
then, release it, and roll back up for burners to engage... if you pull back any less than 80% - you'll set yourelf a burner limit below full - and that's a good thing for cases like ATC restrictions or critical fuel situations, etc...
the reverse process will disable the burners and remove the deadzone on the stick :yes:
this makes it very hard to accidentally fire the burners (a common problem in PC flying) - but it also allows you full control without EVER having an uncommanded jump on the throttle or anything inconvenient like that
alternativelly, with throttle at zero - hold the reheat trigger down and start to throttle up, this will automatically set the reheat limit to full... while moving the stick to zero resets it, and it'll be off upon next time
try to keep in mind - it sounds complex because i'm trying to explain it in fine detail (and kinda poorly, i'll admit)... and it's hard to make it sound as simple as it should feel... interface design is tricky that a ways
