hi guys, lately i’m wondering what does the alt preset option in a/p is for. I mean I thought it was for stepclimbing or something like that but I don’t understand. can someone explain pls. Thank you
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Hey, it’s an easier way of setting your altitude during flight planning or while on a flight.
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edit: Wow I wrote the following far too soon, what a new feature! Step climbing away!! (you can conveniently track ascent altitudes attached to waypoints)
For 10K, 20K…40K feet etc. on takeoff, you don’t have to hold down the increment button and wait. Set for a higher (or lower altitude when descending) in one step, so you are more able to quickly focus on other important tasks.
You go right to the ballpark of what altitude you are going for, and then have plenty of time to fine tune on the way to the altitude destination.
It is just an easier way to way climb or descend.
it can also be used to do specific alts from your next waypoint or your toc alt
Hoping this is just the beginning to implement autopilot step climb during long hauls
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I am currently step climbing away in bliss on AP! What a very pleasant surprise.😍
edit: But I see what I presume you mean? You have to manually select the waypoint altitudes from the preset list. Still, what a wonderful labor-saving addition to flying.
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Welcome to the community!
So I only just realized it myself. If you have ascent altitudes attached to departure fixes in the nav map, it gets shown in the preset list so you can now conveniently track those altitudes higher.
(I’m playing catch up…with the other comments)
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I have tried to use this ALT Preset but it doesn’t do anything other than fixing the ALT to the A/P?
I just departed and it doesn’t do anything except to set the next waypoint ALT. It’s quite handy but it doesn’t set the climb rate or descent rate whatsoever - yet.
Because that’s all it’s supposed to do right now.
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For some automation with descent rate to waypoints of course you can continue to use VNAV.
But presumably with climb rates in general, but also when to step climb (for fuel optimization) in particular, an appropriate positive vertical speed (and when to start the next climb) depends on a mix of a lot of things:
Aircraft type, current load of that type, altitude, temperature, pitch angle limiting to keep forward speed from deteriorating, the fuel efficiency profile etc. And this changes as you climb.
(edit: actually, if the pitch angle is causing the forward speed to deteriorate at the current power setting, then the question of type, load, altitude and temp is already answered)
And there is the risk of over relying on such a system to keep one free of violations. How best to integrate such a feature in IF considering gameplay and the variety of aircraft types is an interesting question.
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So follow up question here: How can I use the altitude presets during climb if I’m AFK? Or do I have to be active on the app to be able to use the altitude presets?
Normally I like to do long hauls while I’m in bed and the step climbs would be really really helpful.
TIA
You have to be there to engage the next preset altitude.
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