Another Dash-8 question re: Throttle operation...

[Guest]

I've been messing around with this great new addition and just need clarification on something. I've gone through the manual for the most part and I'm able to get the plane started but I can only go backwards when I try to taxi! I cannot advance the throttle past Flight Idle. Using the '9' key just brings the throttle back into reverse. I've read in some other posts that you need a joystick with throttle control. Am I correct in assuming you cannot use the keyboard to fly this? I do not have a joystick at the moment. Thanks!Eric

[FTD1949]

The throttle will only work properly if using a joystick which has a throttle. This is stated somewhere in the documentation. As this is a complex aircraft you really can't just jump in and fly. You really need to print and review the documentation first.

[Guest]

That is, of course true. However, I encountered a similar problem when I decided to take a flight in one of Francisco Sanchez-Castaner's ATR-42s. (This was making a flight in the DASH 8). I started the engines, advanced the condition levers to MAX, and advanced the throttle. Rather than making a sharp turn away from the gate, with forward thrust, the engines spun up, and the aircraft began to reverse. "I wasn't planning on a pushback," I though, "but oh well!" I backed out onto the apron a bit, and then tried feathering the props, restartng the engines, and smacking my forehead. All to no avail. The props were just jammed in reverse pitch. This may just be a new bug.

[Guest]

I agree that it seems like a bug. I don't understand why everything else seems to work fine using the keyboard except this. I guess I'll have to put this one aside for a while unless I want to roll around the airport backwards!