X Plane Real Weather Turbulence

[Geofa 108]

The turbulence is way over done and for me ruins much of the rw weather downloads. Living in a place where high winds are almost routine there would never be any flying done if the effects matched what xplane does.

[Alec 370]

Come on, the problem is that even when there are lots of people complaining, many with real world experience, LR still says it's exactly like in real life, and the problem is that we are all FS pilots. Don't you believe most of these guys get to fly this 30knot wind every now and then? Please fix that in X-Plane, it's so ridiculous, I'd rather have the stable FS atmosphere than X-Plane crazy roller coaster one.

[wb5okj 26]

I compare to both, FSX and real world. both sims overdoes the turbulance, although XP10 does better with turbulence than XP9 did.I've flown C172 real world in winds of over 30 knots. North of Greeley Colo. in 1987 I did encounter turblence quite like the sims portray. It knocked out the rear window in a C172 M.I flew from Grand Prairie Tx, to Waco Tx with a headwind, that made my ground speed about 30 knots. Took almost an hour. Got back very fast though :(.

[Janov 2,383]

I also believe the turbulence in X-Plane feels like it is too strong.There are two facts compounding this problem:A.) A wind of 20G30 isn´t always the same. Sometimes these gusts come fast and hard, sometimes it is more of a gentle up and down. The frequency is important (remember, I am talking about wind, here! :( )I have been in fairly calm winds that were really bumpy, and I have been in some smooth and steady 30kts winds on landing (usually depends also on the terrain around the airport.I think X-Plane just assumes the worst case, which is quite rare in real life (fortunately). I have done a landing in Bilbao, Spain with a 30kt crosswind coming over that mountain ridge (RWY30) and it was X-Plane-like .B.) In real life your head will compensate a lot of the pitching, rolling and yawing. Keeping your head level is instinctive behaviour and faster than most turbulence and gusts. This is something that doesn´t happen when you look at your computer screen. Especially with short and rapid gusts the airplane tends to oscillate around the desired pitch, roll and bank, and you can just let it ride to a certain degree with subtle inputs to stay on the desired flightpath. Let her buck a little, if you will...There is also the instinctive input to controls when you "feel" the acceleration of the gust - in any simulator you have to wait until your eyes tell you : "ooops, you are banking!" - then work the stick to counter that.Jan

[GoranM 3,764]

I've done a few experiments with some flight models... and the amount of movement the aircraft experiences in x plane when hit with turbulence can be increased or decreased by adjusting some settings (That has nothing to do with the weather) in the flight model. I tried it with the default C172. Same weather, same aircraft, changed 4 settings in the flight model, and there was a different amount of "throwing around" in the air.So it is entirely possible that it is the developers fault for the aircraft to be so bumpy when hit with turbulence.

[Alec 370]

The turbulence I got today flying the 737-800 from EADT with Real Weather was something that would make people cry if that really happened. Maybe it's a matter of telling developers how to correct model these settings in order to be more realistic, most don't seem to know how to use it correctly

Edited January 21, 2012 by Alec

[Pascal_LSGC 298]

I also believe the turbulence in X-Plane feels like it is too strong.There are two facts compounding this problem:A.) A wind of 20G30 isn´t always the same. Sometimes these gusts come fast and hard, sometimes it is more of a gentle up and down. The frequency is important (remember, I am talking about wind, here! :( )I have been in fairly calm winds that were really bumpy, and I have been in some smooth and steady 30kts winds on landing (usually depends also on the terrain around the airport.I think X-Plane just assumes the worst case, which is quite rare in real life (fortunately). I have done a landing in Bilbao, Spain with a 30kt crosswind coming over that mountain ridge (RWY30) and it was X-Plane-like .B.) In real life your head will compensate a lot of the pitching, rolling and yawing. Keeping your head level is instinctive behaviour and faster than most turbulence and gusts. This is something that doesn´t happen when you look at your computer screen. Especially with short and rapid gusts the airplane tends to oscillate around the desired pitch, roll and bank, and you can just let it ride to a certain degree with subtle inputs to stay on the desired flightpath. Let her buck a little, if you will...There is also the instinctive input to controls when you "feel" the acceleration of the gust - in any simulator you have to wait until your eyes tell you : "ooops, you are banking!" - then work the stick to counter that.Jan

Thanks, you've done a very good analysis of the phenomenon. I've not seen often someone mention the fact that in a simulator, your eyes and head are "fixed", thus cannot compensate for the movements of the aircraft, as in real life. And all the other factors you mention.

[Geofa 108]

The head motion however does not explain sliding off a runway with brakes on, blowing backwards,or the aircraft becoming uncontrollable in what I would call fairly normal winds/tubulence.

[Pascal_LSGC 298]

The sliding on the runway is most probably caused by the ground friction model. That's another long standing problem.I like Janov's analysis because he explains every aspect of it. And while the effect is in the "possible" realm, he still aknowledges that it's extreme.

[darem 84]

Carenado F33 on the apron. Winds: 12 mph. Parking brakes set, engines not running.The wind turns the plane slowly around its axis.That's just ridiculous. They HAVE to fix that (and I have been told the F33 is one of the most well behaved planes in XPlane when it coes to turbulences).

[anthony_d 32]

Yes I've seen my planes slowly about rotate their axis on the ground. It's almost like the lateral friction coeffient for the wheels is very small. Some planes can also be quite hard to steer above 20knots ground speed as well. Probably the same problem.

[Swe_Richard 1,172]

Carenado F33 on the apron. Winds: 12 mph. Parking brakes set, engines not running.The wind turns the plane slowly around its axis.That's just ridiculous. They HAVE to fix that (and I have been told the F33 is one of the most well behaved planes in XPlane when it coes to turbulences).

I have that also. Insanely annoying. Is there any official acknowledgement of this problem or is it supposed to be like this?

[fly_like_an_eagle 10]

"So it is entirely possible that it is the developers fault for the aircraft to be so bumpy when hit with turbulence."I am tired of hearing it is the aircraft developers fault. after all, since x-plane's default aircraft exhibit this annoying bug, whose fault is it then? lets blame it again on the stupid users who need to adjust their joystick or some such. :Monkey:give me a parking-brake. even FLIGHT is much better in this aspect than x-plane featuring the world's best flight model :( . x-plane's behaviour in turbulence is anything but realistic, it is rather simulating wake turbulence which we all know must be avoided because it can and has killed pilots. talk about 'FAA-approved' simulator. stop playing with those iPad versions and Linux, and fix this, Mr. Exlaminator!

[m_av 0]

fly_like_an_eagle : Can't agree with you more.After 10 versions over a two decade span of X-plane's Blade Element Theory based flight model, one would think that Laminar would have a pretty good handle on the flight model and can come up with JUST ONE OR TWO AIRCRAFT that be the showcase aircraft just as LOWI was to scenery in v8/v9 !Can Laminar do that in X-plane v10 ?I am sure that's a tall order for Laminar since they can't even deliver what they hyped and promised, let alone delivering more than promised !Don't blame the users' for Laminar's shortcomings. Laminar should face upto them and take full responsibility for the inadequacy and premature release of X-plane v10 as it exists today AND FOR THE FORSEEABLE FUTURE !

Edited January 25, 2012 by m_av

[jasonX 24]

I just went into XPX and tested that.I switched the engine off as noted and starting at a direct xwind of 20kts it was rock solid, went up to 30 kts still not moving. Finally at 40kts it started to slowly blow the aircraft around at the tail. This was in 10.03rc2. That is a little different from your results. What was it you said " turning around on it's axis in a 12 mph wind". Hmmm[edit]Just went back and ran the test again. At a 40kt wind it weather vaned into the wind then stopped moving with the brakes holding it.

Carenado F33 on the apron. Winds: 12 mph. Parking brakes set, engines not running.The wind turns the plane slowly around its axis.That's just ridiculous. They HAVE to fix that (and I have been told the F33 is one of the most well behaved planes in XPlane when it coes to turbulences).

Edited January 25, 2012 by jasonX