Autopilot Operation
SkyView HDX Pilot’s User Guide – Revision B 8-7
only active on roll or pitch when that axis’ Autopilot servo is engaged. It does not actuate the
trim when you are hand-flying.
The Auto-Trim’s goal is to minimize the stick forces so that the Autopilot servos do not need to
apply much force to the control surface to maneuver the aircraft. This allows it to have the ideal
amount of control authority over the control surface, while keeping the aircraft in trim
continuously. Essentially, Auto-Trim flies the aircraft very similarly to how you do.
Although Auto-Trim is constantly monitoring and adjusting to neutralize trim forces, you may
occasionally see the Pitch and Roll Trim messages and advice as described in the above section.
However, given a short period of time, the Auto-Trim system’s movement should neutralize the
forces and the messages should subside. Note that Auto-Trim moves the trim surfaces slower
than your trim switch commands normally do.
Similarly, Autopilot servo slips may still be observed, particularly when in turbulence. Note that
Auto-Trim is not active in the moments that the air loads are overpowering the servos when a
servo slip annunciation is being shown.
If persistent servo slip alerts are accompanied by trim up/down/left/right alerts, the Auto-Trim
feature many not be able to achieving its goals. This could be due to an Autopilot or Auto-Trim
configuration issue, a broken trim motor, or another issue.
Yaw Damper
Many aircraft exhibit a tendency to 'wag their tails', particularly in turbulence. The result is an
uncomfortable ride for the passengers. The natural lateral/directional stability of the aircraft in
these cases is inadequately damped. By artificially improving the damping the 'tail wag'
tendency may be reduced or eliminated. The rudder is controlled by the servo to oppose
unwanted yaw motions. An added benefit to rudder control is that it automatically coordinates
turns and provides rudder trim. The Yaw Damper subsystem of the autopilot combines these
two features.
When installed, the Yaw Damper engages and disengages automatically when the pitch/roll
axes are engaged. Additionally, the Yaw Damper can be separately engaged or disengaged at
any time (whether or not the pitch/roll axes are engaged) via either the display-based controls
or an external dedicated yaw damper button (if installed.)
Simplified Autopilot Operation and Controls
This section covers how the Autopilot is used when set to the Simplified controls. While most
aspects of configuration the autopilot should be accomplished during installation of the
SkyView HDX system, the pilot may need access to the autopilot setup options during flight,
including the ability to change between Simplified and Expert controls. To do so, access the
Setup menu system by pressing-and-holding Buttons 7 and 8, then selecting AUTOPILOT SETUP,
either from the IN FLIGHT SETUP MENU if the aircraft is in motion or from the SETUP MENU if
the aircraft is stationary on the ground.
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