After wrestling with the autopilot all this time I figured out that just turning off the route mode switch on the cyclic doesn't disengage the autopilot from route mode. I have to also center or reset the DH-DT on the autopilot panel (alt-x). I'm not sure. I probably need to read more, but the switch on the cyclic seems to tell the nav system what you want and the other switch tells the autopilot. Since discovering this I've flown 2 missions with the autopilot using the hitting the trimmer technique whenever changing anything and had no problems including some pretty fast and hard manuevering on the deck. I'm sure this info is probably written up somewhere, but I missed it somehow. I hope this helps someone else. I can't believe how controllable and manueverable the BS is now. It makes things alot easier.

Centering the route/descent switch on the collective does, in fact, disengage route mode. The autopilot will continue to (attempt to) maintain the last commanded heading, however. This will get updated with the Trimmer, which it sounds like you're using.

Would love to see a track, if you can post one, zxrex.

i'll try to post a track. If I don't reset the switch on the autopilot the heading bug on the hud shows the direct to heading even after I turn off route mode even after using the trimmer. After using the trimmer to turn it won't go all the back to the heading, but does start a turn in that direction.

Very much looking forward to the track!

Ok, How do I save a track? I upped on the range mission flew abit to see what happens. When I exited I hit save and now I can't find it. I think my original assumption was wrong. I probably didn't have it trimmed correctly. After getting it all setup in route mode I turned it off hit the trimmer and did a 45 degree turn to the right, leveled off and released the trimmer. It held the heading I left it on, but the diamond on the hud was still pegged to 1 side until I centered the DH-DT switch and hit the trimmer again. Does that make sense? I'm thinking the secret for me is to use all the autopilot channels and always hit the trimmer or collective brake whenever moving the corresponding control(s). Don't have time for more than that. Nite! all!

If you're using Windows 7/Vista it'll be at C:\Users\{your login here}\Saved Games\DCS BlackShark 2\Tracks.

That's no secret, that's the way to do it!

If you still want to send me a track, I'd be glad to take a look at it for you.

CHANNELS (4)

• Bank
• Pitch
• Heading
• Altitude

CHANNEL COMPONENTS (2)

• Stabilization component
  This is active whenever the channel push-light is engaged. This smooths inputs to prevent pilot or airframe oscillations and enhances control. The altitude channel does not have a stabilization component.
• Hold component
  This is active when the channel is engaged except when the trimmer button (collective brake for Altitude channel) is held or if the Flight Director push-light is engaged. This modifies the pilot control input (20% authority) to achieve a commanded value. The commanded value source depends on the specific flight control mode currently used including:
  • Normal Flight
  • Flight Director
  • Route (with and without task)
  • Auto-Hover
  • Shkval Auto-Turn

FLIGHT CONTROL MODES

• Normal Flight
  Commanded value is the reference value. The reference values in channels (bank, pitch, heading) are the values of attitude (angle of bank, angle of pitch, compass heading) recorded when the trimmer button was last released. If the rate of heading change is >3°/sec on trimmer release, then the reference value for the heading hold component is this heading change rate which provides a constant turn.
• Flight Director
  Commanded value is the reference value, but since the hold component is suspended in this flight control mode, no modification is made to the pilot control input. Instruments and the HUD use the reference value to display information.
• Route Autopilot
  Commanded values are computed. Combined bank and heading channels combined act to achieve the desired course over the ground. The pitch channel acts to maintain the speed recorded on engaging the autopilot or the last press of the trimmer button. Note that the channel use is similar but not the same compared to normal flight mode holding course and speed instead of simple attitude. Autopilot can be used with and without a destination, indicated by a task-light on the PVI-800 or datalink display. Without a destination the autopilot flies the course last captured. With a destination the autopilot will fly a desired heading (DH) or desired track (DT) to a destination. The "ENR NAV ON" or "ENR COURSE" overhead light will only illuminate in autopilot with task mode.
• Auto-Hover
  Commanded values are computed to hover over the reference point.
• Shkval auto-turn
  Heading channel is modified to reduce the Shkval side look angle to zero.

DH-X-DT SWITCH
The DH-DT switch has 3 positions and controls the heading source for the route with task mode only. If no valid route task is selected and route autopilot is engaged, then "route without task" behavior will occur regardless of switch position.

• DH. Flies direct toward the autopilot task destination.
• Unmarked. Disconnects the navigation task from the route autopilot. Autopilot flies according to "route without task" behavior.
• DT. Flies direct to the desired automatically or manually set desired track and then to the task destination along that track.

RD-X-BR SWITCH
The RD-BR switch has 3 positions and controls the altitude source for the altitude channel.

• RD. Radio altimeter is the source. If beyond the radio height range (300m) reverts to baro.
• Unmarked. No source. Altitude hold component of the altitude channel provides no modification to the collective.
• BR. Barometric altimeter is the source.

So setting the DH/DT switch to the unmarked middle position doesn't turn off "route" mode, it turns off "route with task" mode or it becomes "route without task" mode. This is the same thing as deselecting all task push-lights on the PVI and datalink panels while using route autopilot.

Route without task is a little more sophisticated than the normal attitude holds and you may like it better for certain types of flying.