[Falcon 4 BMS] Mirage 2000-5 : Going further with the procedures (first part)

As mentioned in the previous article, today's flight will focus on three different points :

• Using the TEST page on the MFD
• Activating the autopilot and its different modes 
• Managing the fuel consumption.

Ready for a test flight

TEST page

This page records all the system faults that occurred during the flight. These faults are divided into two built-in pages BIT1 and BIT2. The trick is that during the rampstart many faults are recorded which is normal. But we need to clear them) using the CLR button.
This action will be included in the next version of my check-lists (v1.01)...

TEST page BIT1 with rampstart faults

TEST page BIT2 with rampstart faults

TEST page clear

 Note that the MASTER CAUTION is now off

Autopilot

In Falcon, the autopilot system is based on the F16's one except that the two 3-positions switches are replaced by 5 buttons. ATT, ALT, HDG, AP RESET and H NAV.

ATT : is the attitude hold button that commands the aircraft to maintain the current pitch.
ALT : is the altitude hold button that commands the aircraft to maintain the current altitude (when engaged).

HDG : turns the plane towards the selected heading on the HSI.
AP RESET : resets the AP
H NAV : make the autopilot to fly to the designated steer-point. Note that if auto steer-point is selected in the UFC the autopilot will automatically fly to the next way-point. If the manual mode is selected it will circle around it with a 30° bank angle

To engage HDG or H NAV autopilot, you need to engage ATT HOLD or ALT HOLD

ALT HOLD engaged

H NAV mode engaged with ALT HOLD

 In this mode, the plane will hold current altitude and fly to the next waypoint.

H NAV mode engaged with ATT HOLD

 Like the previous one except that it will keep the current pitch.

HDG mode engaged with ATT HOLD

 In this mode the plane will fly following the designated course (see on the HSI on the right MFD) holding the current pitch.

H NAV engaged with ALT HOLD and manual steer-point

In this mode, the plane will fly to the selected steer-point and circle around it with a 30° bank angle.

Now that I can deal with the autopilot, I'll be able to start monitoring fuel flows at different speed and altitude. This will be the subject of the second part of this article...