Hallo everybodyI use FS2004, using a Joystick and the parameter "autorudder" is on.When I am taxying on the ground, and I would like to turn left or tight, some aircrafts react very slowly to my command, especially to return to the neutral position. When I want to continue stright ahead, it takes a "long time" until the aircraft is really going stright forward. For example: I want to turn left, so I put my joystick to left. After the turn isalmost completed and I want to go stright forward, I have to put my joystick to right for a short time.This happens not to all aircrafts. Some of them are going stright forward, with no need of any correction.I also tryed to test with "sensivity" and "null Zone", but with no succes for some aircrafts. Does anybody have an idea how to get rid of this "Problem"? I also tryed to modify the parameters "rudder_effectiveness" in the aircraft.cfg-File, but I didnt see any difference.Thanks for your Help

The type of aircraft you are taxiing and the speed you are taxiing at might be factors.Some aircraft have steerable nose or tail wheels that function at VERY slow speeds, but some others are completely dependent on the rudder itself and, in the case of multi-engine planes, different thrust settings on the engines. At low speeds there might not be sufficient airflow for the rudder to be effective. Some conventional gear planes ("tail draggers") have tail wheels that are essentially the same as the front wheels on a shopping cart, while some others have a mechanism that the pilot can engage to restrict their movement while taking off or landing. Sometimes a BRIEF burst of thrust will generate enough airflow over the rudder to initiate or terminate a turn.  Some planes permit the pilot to engage the brakes on each of the main gear separately for turns during taxiing.

FYI - You have posted in the wrong forum - this forum is for questions relating to use of the forums - not for specific problem solving.You will get more responses if you post in the FS2004 or FSX forum, depending upon what Version of FS your problem is related to.

FYI - You have posted in the wrong forum - this forum is for questions relating to use of the forums - not for specific problem solving.

It is? That's news to me!John

You will get more responses if you post in the FS2004 or FSX forum, depending upon what Version of FS your problem is related to.

Er .... this is the FS2004 forum, isn't it? Or are my ole eyes deceiving me again?!And to the original poster - this is a complex matter which, I believe, would need alterations to the aircraft's .cfg and .air files.David

Er .... this is the FS2004 forum, isn't it? Or are my ole eyes deceiving me again?!And to the original poster - this is a complex matter which, I believe, would need alterations to the aircraft's .cfg and .air files.David

It was originally posted in "Help using the AVSIM forums", and I moved it here after David noticed it was in the wrong place.

Hallo everybodyI use FS2004, using a Joystick and the parameter "autorudder" is on.When I am taxying on the ground, and I would like to turn left or tight, some aircrafts react very slowly to my command, especially to return to the neutral position. When I want to continue stright ahead, it takes a "long time" until the aircraft is really going stright forward. For example: I want to turn left, so I put my joystick to left. After the turn isalmost completed and I want to go stright forward, I have to put my joystick to right for a short time.

As one who recently switched from a desk set-up with everything needed to a laptop setup for FS2004, I certainly understand this person's problem. Just yesterday I had the embarrassment of running off a taxiway at a familiar airport driving a familiar plane. The short answer is to get rudder pedals for realistic ground control and for doing certain things in the air. My pedals are upstairs where they will stay. I have enough cables sticking out of this poor laptop. To turn while taxiing with "autorudder" you need to keep your taxi speed down to 15 knots or below and use the "foot brakes" - F11 (left) and F12 (right) - for assistance just as a real pilot would do. Indeed I used to fly a nice plane (AA-1A) in real life that could ONLY be turned using the foot brakes. If you are new to FS flying, practice both taxiing and flying with Clear Weather (no wind) until you get pretty good at it. There is no rush to turn on wind or Real Weather. The wind will make it more difficult to taxi as well as to take off and land. (Note: over 30 years of sim experience here.)

Taking off or landing in any crosswind with autorudder is technically impossible as such manoeuvres require crossed controls. Also when taxiing, you're supposed to turn the yoke towards the wind. So now what happens if you want to turn the other way on the taxiway? Impossible. I know autorudder is useful for those with no rudder pedals or twist joysticks but then you can't fly in crosswinds. Taking off in a strong crosswind with only autorudder for directional control will result in... well it will result in rolling the aircraft over and a crash. You also can't land because there's no way to straighten the aircraft before touchdown, so you're going to land in a severe crab and... crash.Autorudder is useful for coordinating rudder with ailerons during normal turns etc, but for taxi, takeoff and landing it's awful.

Autorudder is useful for coordinating rudder with ailerons during normal turns etc, but for taxi, takeoff and landing it's awful.

I agree. The only time to use coordinated rudder is when you can't get any better hardware. That shouldn't be a problem though- you can get an adequate joystick with independent rudder control for half a day's pay (though you might be wise to save for something better).It may be possible to alter aircrafts' *.cfg files but I think you would have to address each type separately which would take a long time and give dubious results.The solution? A better joystick.Regards,D

I agree using autorudder is not ideal. But it is not as bad as you guys say. As I said above, using the foot brakes helps. For crosswind takeoffs, the wind will turn you into it. so start on the upwind edge of the runway and aim toward the other side at a point a few hundred feet down. By the time you are coming back toward the upwind edge, you should be flying.As for landing, just land in a crab. Any landing in FS9 is like landing on ice. You can land with a 45 degree crab and you won't crash like you would in a real plane.Okay, I recognize these are not approved techniques for real aircraft flying; but, in FS9 they get you in the game. If anyone gets serious about trying to use FS9 to learn to fly, you must use a desktop computer and add a pair of rudder pedals.Meanwhile, I will continue to recline in an easy chair and fly all the airplanes, big and small, with autorudder ON and jazz music blaring in my ears! In other words, I am having fun just as Malherbe should be by now.