Hello. I recently purchased FS2k2 Pro. The help files are pretty good for telling you what to do, but not why. For instance, what does the auto-feather on the King Air do? I know to turn it on during climbs and decents, but not why. Exactly what happens when the aircraft is "feathered"? What does the inertial separator on the Cessna Caravan do? And what do the different settings on the auto-brake do? Is each higher setting just an increase in the amount of braking? How do you activate the RTO braking on that setting? I know that's a lot of questions, but if you can answer any of them, you'd really help a girl out. Thanks.

>Hello. I recently purchased FS2k2 Pro. The help files are >pretty good for telling you what to do, but not why. For >instance, what does the auto-feather on the King Air do? I >know to turn it on during climbs and decents, but not why. >Exactly what happens when the aircraft is "feathered"? What >does the inertial separator on the Cessna Caravan do? And >what do the different settings on the auto-brake do? Is >each higher setting just an increase in the amount of >braking? How do you activate the RTO braking on that >setting? I know that's a lot of questions, but if you can >answer any of them, you'd really help a girl out. Thanks. I'll try to help. I am not a real-world pilot but I have been simming for years.1. I too am unsure what autofeather does except to relieve you of one task if an engine fails at an awkward time.2. You feather a prop not the airplane; it means turning the blades into the slipstream to reduce drag if the engine has failed.3. The inertial separator redirects the air coming to the engine through a crooked path. Water droplets can't make the sharp turn and are flung out a port (instead of being ingested by the engine).4. Auto brake, yes, what you said.5. Set autobrake to RTO for takeoffs; do so by clicking on the left (-) side of the autobrake switch.Hope this helps. R-

First, sorry I can't really answer any of your questions, but Ron did a pretty good job. Second -- HOWDY to yet ANOTHER woman simmer!! Look out guys, we're gaining on you. The ratio is now only about 25:1. :-lolWelcome Persephone. You'll find a good bunch of people here and on the Bush Flying forum, should you decide to visit there. Actually ALL the forums at Avsim contain great folks. -Lindy :-wave

I don't see "why not" women simmers. Lots of great women pilots, and quite a history of ferrying aircraft in WWII. :-)

>1. I too am unsure what autofeather does except to relieve >you of one task if an engine fails at an awkward time. One for the "Now I'm sure you wish you hadn't asked..." file.According to an [a href=http://www.avweb.com/articles/transition/]article I saw on AVWeb[/a] which discusses the transition from light twins to turboprops (and actually uses the differences between a Beech Duchess to a Super KingAir)"When armed, the autofeather system senses the difference between the torque outputs of the two engines. If the prop RPMs are above 88 percent, the operating engine is producing at least 17 percent torque, and the inoperative engine's torque falls below 10 percent, autofeather feathers the prop on the inoperative engine."My educated guess, therefore, is that should the engine fail it'll feather and prevent the drag of a "flat into the wind" prop at the critical approach/departure phases of flight. This way the pilot only has to overcome the problem of uneven thrust rather than the problem of uneven thrust combined with a serious drag on the opposite wing. Should prevent unpleasant "splat into the countryside" type of incidents, I'm sure.