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CA320T X-Plane Wiki

Installation and usage details for the CA320T simulator model.

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CA320T X-Plane

SITL Mission Planner Configuration

Mission Planner setup for SITL workflows shared with the CA320T flight platform.

SITL Mission Planner Setup (X-Plane)

Follow this workflow to connect Mission Planner with X-Plane SITL for the CA320 platform. The sequence below is written for CA320T simulation, but the same flow is also valid for the shared CA320 setup.

  1. Download and install Mission Planner from ardupilot.org, then launch it.
    Mission Planner start screen
  2. If you are using ca320t-sim, copy x-plane_plane.json from your z_Ardupilot/SITL zip folder to C:/Users/%username%/Documents/Mission Planner/sitl/xplane. If you use a different or default aircraft model, skip this step.
  3. Start X-Plane 11 or X-Plane 12 and load the CA320 tailsitter model. Because this airframe has no landing gear, start with the engine already running and use a runway start with a 3- or 10-mile approach.
    X-Plane location window with runway start and approach distance options
  4. After X-Plane finishes loading, press P to pause the simulator.
  5. Go back to Mission Planner, open SIMULATION, set Model = xplane, and click Plane.
    Mission Planner top menu with SIMULATION tab highlighted
    Mission Planner simulation setup with xplane model and Plane option
  6. It should now look like this and be connected.
    Mission Planner connected to X-Plane SITL with telemetry and moving map
  7. When connected, open Action -> Joystick and map your controller axes.
    Mission Planner Actions panel with Joystick button highlighted
    Mission Planner joystick setup window with controller axis mappings
  8. Open Config -> Full Parameter List, choose Load from file, then Write Params and confirm.
    Mission Planner full parameter list with load and write parameter actions
  9. Select your flight mode (recommended: ACRO), click Arm, return to X-Plane, press P again to unpause, and start flying.
    Mission Planner flight mode selector with ACRO mode selected

Troubleshooting Notes

  • No movement in X-Plane: make sure you unpause the simulator with P after arming.
  • No connection in Mission Planner: verify the SIMULATION tab is set to Model = xplane and that Plane was started.
  • Wrong control behavior: re-check joystick axis mapping, reversals, and mode/channel assignment.
  • Cannot arm: check EKF/GPS readiness and confirm your current mode and safety checks.
  • Unstable rates at some airports: altitude, terrain, and start conditions can change tuning quality. Run an autotune pass when needed for better response.