Dash 8 Problems

[Guest]

Hi All,I was able to get the bird airborne and without the alarm buzzer goin off.I have attempted two test flights. Both KDFW-KSGF via Tex7.MLC J105 SGF for the ILS to rwy 2.On the first flight, about halfway between MLC and RZC my ap went nuts. It would not stay locked onto RZC and when in heading select mode would turn the opposite way of the bug. On small <20 degree changes of the bug the plane would go into a roll in the opposite direction.I installed FSUIPC 2.891All went well until I just about leveled at 3000 for ILS intercept. The HSI lost all indication of the ILS to rwy 2 at SGF and once again the plane wanted to roll in the oposite direction of the heading bug. Mind you I mean roll, not a turn in the oposite direction. I had to disengage AP to right the aircraft and turn for landing manually. I love to fly manually but would like the AP to work when WX necesitates it.Another strange event took place on both flights. On the first flight, since I determined the AP was not gonna work and the viz at SGF was <4nm I decided to divert to North Arkansas Regional. Shot the visual to 15 (i think it was) and checked flaps down 3 green and guess what, landed on the belly to my dismay.On viz into SGF same thing happened. I heard the gear come down, saw 3 green on the indicator and belly flopped onto the runway.Is this just happening to me or is anyone having the same or similar problems.I luv the panel and know it is destined to become one of my mainstays, however I need to get these problems worked out.Once again the second instance happened while using the latest version of FSUIPCMark

[Guest]

Hello there,i might be able to help you out with a few of your problems, or explain a little anyways. I am no expert on dash 8's so it is very likely that i could be wrong, but heres how ive been making the plane work.The autopilot on this dash 8 is quite tempermental. The aircraft intercepts localizers at 30 degrees always, so you can have hdg sel on, and it will fly your intercept heading until the localizer starts to move or 'comes alive'at wich point the vor/loc activates. This mode of the autopilot makes the plane intercept at 30 degrees. so if you have a correction of 20 degrees on the hdg sel. the plane is going to turn another 10 left and then come back to intercept. Also every time you change a setting on the autopilot , it is quite possible that it disconnects another mode, so always look at your annunciator panel to make sure it is in the mode you want more times than enough i have changed a setting and the aircraft goes into hdg hold instead of nav mode. As for flying in the opposite heading, there is a button on the center panel that activates the autopilot to fly 180 degrees from the one selected, kinda likea backcourse mode, except not for approaches. So basically you have to make sure all your buttons are in the right places, even though they are next to impossible to read.and lastly i also have belly landed the airplane, and that is because i keep landing too hard and snapping the gear. Im having trouble flaring the aircraft and keeping a nice steady approach path so i drive the plane into the runway nose first. I know im doing something wrong, just havent figured it out yet. Thats all i got for ya, hope some of this helps.Good luck, Cheers

[Guest]

I agree with all of what Kris says. In response to your question about the audio alert on takeoff:-Before you pull onto the runway, you should turn off the air conditioning, bleed switches, fans (all of which you should turn on again when you set climb power, 80% torque) -Turn the ignition switches to 'Manual.' Set these back to 'Norm' when you reach you appply cruise power.-You now need to activate Autofeather (a black button in the lower right corner of the panel), release the throttle lock (the small grey bar that blocks the throttle levers from being increased above the safe taxi setting), set the parking brake (while you run up), and set the throttles for the 'T/O.' (Not MAN T/O!) Don't release the brakes until you see the orange 'ARM' lettering below the green 'SLCT,' on the autofeather button.