Can't stay straight down the runway

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

My newbie misery with this program starts immediately. Accelerating down
the runway, the plane is all over the place. Why?

--
Dave Schwartz
Commack, NY

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

Dave,
What aircraft are you flying? And, do you have your aircraft realism
settings turned up all of the way? Different aircraft have different
handling characteristics while on the ground and in the air. For instance,
if you are new to this program you are probably flying the single-engine
propeller driven aircraft, like the Cessna 172 or the Piper Cub. The fact is
that single-engine prop aircraft have several forces acting upon them that
make them have a tendency to turn to the left. One of those forces is the
torque of the engine, another of these forces is called "P-Factor", and
still another force that has this effect is the spiraling propwash hitting
the vertical stabilizer. If your aircraft realism settings are set high
enough, then all of these forces will affect the aircraft, both on the
ground and in the air.
The short answer is that if you are flying the single-engine prop
aircraft, then it is normal for the aircraft to veer to the left, especially
at high engine RPM, and you must compensate with some right rudder to keep
the nose of the aircraft straight. Another thing that will cause veering is
a healthy crosswind blowing across the runway. If you have a strong
crosswind blowing at an angle to the runway (as opposed to straight down the
runway) then this will also cause your aircraft to veer to the side.
If you have no crosswind, and your aircraft realism settings are all
turned off, then there is a good chance that your joystick may need to be
calibrated. I hope this is helpful....

Randy L.

"Dave Schwartz" <who4ever@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:9tgde.4754$FE3.3328@fe12.lga...
> My newbie misery with this program starts immediately. Accelerating down
> the runway, the plane is all over the place. Why?
>
> --
> Dave Schwartz
> Commack, NY
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

One other thing, many at first don't have the concept of "small
corrections". Overcorrection is common. Depending on the plane you're
flying, it may respond quickly like an RV4 or slow and sluggish like a
Cessna 340. Keeping on top of it from the get-go is a great help...I apply
a little right rudder as I start out and lessen or increase as necessary as
I head down the runway.

As Randy said, crosswinds will wreak havoc on your take-off. But if you use
your ailerons (bank) into the wind while using your rudder to keep yourself
straight (usually adverse or opposite rudder like if you are banking left
you will use right rudder to keep it straight), and gradually lessen the
bank and rudder as you pickup speed and may likely be in a nearly neutral
position (except for P-factor rudder) and in a straight line as you reach
"rotate".

Whether you use rudder pedals or a joystick, like Randy said, make sure you
calibrate it. Some let you customize settings to suit your style of flying
too.

Hope this helps some....let me know.

Mr. Steve of Deer Valley - KDVT

"Dave Schwartz" <who4ever@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:9tgde.4754$FE3.3328@fe12.lga...
> My newbie misery with this program starts immediately. Accelerating down
> the runway, the plane is all over the place. Why?
>
> --
> Dave Schwartz
> Commack, NY
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

Dave,
I am sympathetic. But are you the kind of guy who thinks he would not need
any pilot training to jump into an aircraft and take off?

This may seem like a game, but it is a simulator, and they have tried to
make it as real as it gets. If you get into a real light aircraft and whizz
down a runway, even supposing you could start it, it would behave exactly as
you describe.

Others in this group have explained better than I could why this is so, but
please be grateful that it is so realistic.
You will also find that if you do not learn to land properly you will crash


Cheers,

Quilly


An individual reply goes into my spam filter

 

[crash]

Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

Quilljar wrote:
> You will also find that if you do not learn to land properly you will
> crash
>

"Take off's are optional; Landings are mandatory"

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

On Mon, 2 May 2005 12:37:14 +0000 (UTC), "Quilljar"
<wykehill-flightsim@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

>Dave,
>I am sympathetic. But are you the kind of guy who thinks he would not need
>any pilot training to jump into an aircraft and take off?
>
>This may seem like a game, but it is a simulator, and they have tried to
>make it as real as it gets. If you get into a real light aircraft and whizz
>down a runway, even supposing you could start it, it would behave exactly as
>you describe.
>
>Others in this group have explained better than I could why this is so, but
>please be grateful that it is so realistic.
>You will also find that if you do not learn to land properly you will crash
>
>
>Cheers,
>
>Quilly
>
>
>An individual reply goes into my spam filter
>

The other thing to keep in mind is that some of the default aircraft
in FS9 taxi really weirdly compared to a real aircraft. Pick up some
speed and it gets worse. Try a good Payware plane like some of the
Real Air Simulations or Flight One Aircraft, once you get a little
more proficient and you will see a big difference in controllability

Bob