I recently try to learn how to use the CIVA INS and followed a youtube tutorial on how to get it steer my 707. Aligning and entering waypoints works fine so far but I have problems actually making it control my aircraft.

-when i switch one unit on and the AP to HDG mode, the AP continues to follow the manually entered heading, as if the cmd switches of my INS did not have an effect.

-in-flight position updates with VORs are not working, the green update light does not light up.

my thoughts are that I have overlooked a setup step for making the INS work correctly on the 707.

anyone got an idea what this could be?

Hi,

1) There is a switch to toggle between [DOPPLER] and [INS] navigation system. It is located at Left Forward Panel below the clock (see Flight Manual Part II – Aircraft and Systems pages 8, 22, 40 and 50..

By default, it is [DOPPLER]. Did you toggle it to [INS] before go to [AP] > [NAV]?

[DOPPLER]
- Autopilot in NAV mode tracks Doppler Navigation System
- Heading Bug on Captain's HSI controlled by HSI Heading Selector

[INS]
- Autopilot in NAV mode tracks CIVA INS
- Heading Bug on Captain's HSI controlled by CIVA INS

2) Check if [CIVA-INS Control Panel] at Overhead Panel is turned to [NAV] and the Ready Nav Green Light is ON.

Hope this help,

Pinatubo.

The FMC birds use DME too to check and calibrate their data. Watch the autotuned stations there. They are not only used for rough estimates.
It's a difference if you can monitor external nav sources and relative positions to them or if you have an internal nav source which tells you where you are, just by calculating and watching some gyros.
Well, those sources and systems are coupled today, so a GPS works together with an IRS, getting checked with DME to achieve a high level of accuracy and also failsafe operation.
VOR broken or in maintenance? The INS will still be fine with any other DME it can receive while showing your position on a digital display instead of using a fluctuating needle on an analogue gauge.

With a VOR you can fly radial 212 until 12nm out and then turn left 30 degrees. With an INS (calibrated through any DME in 200nm range), you can fly spot on any given coordinate you enter.
It also shows you the current wind, your offset, your GS and can calculate times, speeds and headings between waypoints.
Enter any fictional waypoint of a fancy RNAV procedure and it will show and guide you to it while the VOR guy has to set up his radials to get to N 44 47.2 W 063 18.1 and may miss it when speaking about accuracy.

The INS also guides you when there's no VOR in range. It runs down on accuracy slowly, but you always have your very own nav source on board. With three units, they also crosscheck and enhance each other.

Man, I could sell those things.  
But agree, you have to like these old 7 digit boxes when you operate them in the sim, where all VORs are working, where needles rarely fluctuate and where nobody gets harmed if you miss a spot.
But after a while, they will show more use than just entertaining you with their need to get an update, that's for sure. 

Also I noticed on the 707 you have to turn the autopilot mode select knob once and back to HDG, otherwise an INS programmed course change will not happen.
That indeed sounds something strange since the 707 does fine on "Nav" with the Civa. No back and forth with the "HDG" mode necessary.

I used HDG mode like the tutorial told me, but in the 707 its the darn NAV MODE i need
Are you speaking of the general Civa tutorial there? Well, some planes use the Nav mode, others stay on the heading one.
But the 707 manual states the need for "Nav" I think.

That thing stores the last state in some .isd file in the Civa folder. You can delete or move it to force a fresh unit on next startup.

Yes, that's a nice freeware which really helps us sim guys to enjoy the ADEU reader.
Glad you like it. 

I've done a tutorial for the 727 here. http://www.captainsim.org/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1286031420/0#0

Does that help?