Beechcraft Baron 58 Altimeter bug

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richdmoore
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Beechcraft Baron 58 Altimeter bug

#1 Post by richdmoore »

I was trying IFR magazine's sim challenge today, and discovered a small bug/unexpected behavior with the Beechcraft Barron 58 altimeter.

When climbing or descending, I sometimes get the altimeter reading 1000' off. This does not occur with the 3d panel in xplane 11.

Looking at both the air manager panel, and the in-game cockpit, the thousand digit actually changes earlier than exactly at 1000' in the xplane sim, but not in air manager.

Basically, as you climb it goes 5900 (5 didget displayed on both.) At about 5950' the xplane cockpit changes the digit to 6 (for 6000'). As a pilot, you of course reed the 6000 and see the hand below (980 lets say) and know it is actual 5980 and not 6000.

Air manager's cockpit altimeter simply will display the 5 digit all the way to 5999', then change to 6 at exactly 6000. So if you are at 5980 for example, it looks like you are at 5000'

Due to the analog nature of the gauges, if you try to hand fly at 5999' it will constantly either switch between 5000 and 6000' (the last 3 digits are "barrel" style.)

I am not sure of the math, but I would try to replicate the default xplane altimeter behavior, at an altitude of X950 to X0000, have it be the number ahead. I believe that is how these gauges work in real life as well, to alleviate the confusion of thinking you are 1000' low vs 5'.

Here is a picture of the altimeter, next to the G5 instrument for reference:
https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/0W9n ... g#IMG_1051

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Ralph
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Re: Beechcraft Baron 58 Altimeter bug

#2 Post by Ralph »

The image cannot be opened, please check the link. It says I have to sign in.

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Sling
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Re: Beechcraft Baron 58 Altimeter bug

#3 Post by Sling »

I can see it Ralph. I selected download then view.

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Re: Beechcraft Baron 58 Altimeter bug

#4 Post by Ralph »

Ah you're right, didn't show very well on my phone. Probably a rounding issue, I'll have a look.

richdmoore
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Re: Beechcraft Baron 58 Altimeter bug

#5 Post by richdmoore »

Looking at the in-game altimeter, it looks like the number actually changes about 50' before you get to the hard altitude. I believe this is the behavior in the real instrument as well, but I haven't actually flown with this altimeter before.

Basically, if climbing, the shows 5900, then the 000 in the rolling window starts to appear. As the aircraft continues to climb, the rolling hundreds goes from 900 to 000. At about 5950', the 5 will change to a 6, even though it is a little early but it is readable because you see the 6 thousands digit, and the hundreds "barrel" not quite at all 000, and the hundred's needle is left of the 12 o'clock position..

Since typically we pilots attempt to maintain a cardinal 1000' altitude, you don't want the thousands indicator to be constantly cycling between altitudes as you go try to maintain an exact altitude. (If I remember correctly, ATP standards are 50' in level flight during the check ride.)

My guess would be setting the thousands digit to change +/- 50 feet of the altitude would solve the problem, and replicate how x-plane designed their instrument.

richdmoore
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Re: Beechcraft Baron 58 Altimeter bug

#6 Post by richdmoore »

I just got back from a week of real world flying. Has there been any progress?

richdmoore
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Re: Beechcraft Baron 58 Altimeter bug

#7 Post by richdmoore »

I was able to attempt to see if this issue was fixed yet, but it appears to still be broken. I started a support ticket as this has been about a month since I first posted about the bug.

Here is what I wrote. I can try to take a video and upload it to you tube if that will help highlight the problem:



The premium Xplane 11 BE-58 altimeter behavior is not as expected.

This altimeter is sort of unique, as it has a "barrel" indicator in 1000' and 100' increments, with a pointer.

Due to the design of this indicator, the thousand bug actually changes to the higher thousands digit before you reach the altitude (climbing) or after you descent below the indicator by about 80'.

Xplane's BE-58 indicator has it modeled properly, it changes before you reach the cardinal altitude. Comparing it to the Air Manager instrument, in changes it's thousands indicator only upon reaching the exact altitude itself.

Whey this matters in it sometimes makes the display look off by 1000' I have put the G5 indicator side by side to show the problem with this instrument.

A good way to duplicate this is simply open xplane in a cockpit view, and place a window/second screen with air manager next to it with the altimeter instrument. Take off and start a climb, and notice when the 1000' window changes on both the default in-game cockpit, and the air manager instrument.

I believe the code fix needs to bias the thousand feet window by about 80', (but not the pointer or 100 barrel indicator) so it reads properly at the cardinal altitudes, and replicates the xplane instrument.
IMG_1051.png

richdmoore
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Re: Beechcraft Baron 58 Altimeter bug

#8 Post by richdmoore »

Here is the expected (Xplane 11 in cockpit altimeter) Notice when the 1000' indicator changes.

https://youtu.be/YfMQ6PLV5MA

Here is the bugged Sim Innovations Altimeter:

https://youtu.be/sCBxMM39_oM

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Ralph
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Re: Beechcraft Baron 58 Altimeter bug

#9 Post by Ralph »

I haven't looked at it yet. I'm too busy with a hardware project that needs to be finished this month.

richdmoore
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Re: Beechcraft Baron 58 Altimeter bug

#10 Post by richdmoore »

No Problem, hopefully it will be look at and fixed in due time.

I hope the youtube videos of both the x-plane and sim innovations altimeter behavior will help describe the bug, as it isn't obvious at first glance until you try to fly hard ifr and discover the confusing instrument readings.

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