oil temp

[Bob650 31]

I have RW time behind a PT6A. I also own the Turbine Duke and the Malibu P46T for FSX. Both aircraft are excellent in their own right. No flight sim models are perfect however the Malibu has the best overall turboprop engine modeling yet done for FSX. The Duke runs a close second. They're both very enjoyable to fly and they both take FSX to new limits given the restrictions within the game.

[tttocs 301]

Believe it or not, I have no interest at all in the Duke or how it taxies. This is a PA46T forum and I don't want to read about some other product.

With all due respect - I have the RealAir Duke and am reading here as I've been considering the Malibu, so I find a discussion about how Carenado may (or may not) have tamed some of the issues present in the Duke and inherent in implementing the PT6 in FSX, both valuable and relevant.Please carry on gentleman. I also find the Duke touchy in taxi, and wonder whether the improvement some are noting here is due to a real change in the Malibu or something some of us are simply doing wrong on the Duke. I suddenly find myself a bit more interested in the Malibu than I had been.Scott

[CoolP 283]

I think a comparison with arguments should be a valid thing in every forum section.I like the T Duke and would recommend it every single time if one would ask for a nice twin turbine plane. I'd also name the DA Cheyenne there, although surely being an older release. However, when it comes to the engine model while taxiing, the Duke gives me a lot of wonky rpm and torque settings, although I don't change anything on the levers.I've tried it with disabled hardware and just by pressing the keys for throttle (power lever), rpm and condition (which was a sort of test on finger skills ) and still received the behaviour. Two friends of mine also run the T Duke and report the same. Even the older Cheyenne or some things like the Aerosoft Twin Otter with the PT6 do way better in that aspect.The Duke gives me a lot of leeway on the power lever when the condition is in low. Then it enables e. g. 100 lb (PL advanced) and the rpm go up. Then you start to taxi and e. g. establish some 8 kts GS. Looks normal so far. The torque then rises by itself as you taxi (tested with and without throttle hardware) although you don't change a thing on the PL, the rpm or the condition. Speaking about the former 100 lb now being 210 per engine, so you are gaining speed pretty fast now. If you correct it, you may get rid of riding the brakes, but if you stop and don't touch the PL, the torque goes down as you e. g. enter a turn. So the plane stops (due to low torque) in that turn.That's a constant torque (and rpm) change, without changing anything on the levers. Bad part is, the torque goes down when you need it the most (slow pace, turns) and up when you need it last (taxi at some 10 kts GS).Now the part with the 'try the beta range' ends up like this. Note the rpm gauge, I've magnified it. That's some 3314 rpm and rising! Max is 2200.Edited. I've let her run in that condition without touching anything on the levers. See what rpm I got, it's still rising!Note. It rises endlessly. I later had 10.000, where the gauge resets. Bringing the condition down helps, but this is just to show you that the next paragraph of mine was written for a reason.Now I think that FSX isn't the most rewarding basis for modelling that engine type, but I think that some tradeoffs and limitations apply to especially the T Duke when it comes to taxi. When looking at the links I gave above, the dev also states that some parts had to be prioritized above others. Maybe this one is the sufferer, so to speak.Another note. I have the engine failures due to exceeding limits (not the random ones) enabled. These 10.000 rpm did not have an effect here.No questions asked about the other parts of operating the T Duke and especially the fidelity on all the little things (working switches, gauges and so on, out of the box) which place it in the top class of addons to have. I'd recommend it hands down.In my eyes, the JetProp sort of fails on these little things I've mentioned, but is very, very good on the FDE plus engine model. So if one is ready to e. g. write Bert an email to receive fixed / enhanced gauges and also applies some user tweaks, the Malibu is rendered a fine plane too. It should have been out of the box, no doubt. :(

Edited February 17, 2012 by CoolP

[aentwis 61]

Thanks for that in-depth post CoolP. Pretty much sums up my sentiments. A

[tttocs 301]

Now I think that FSX isn't the most rewarding basis for modelling that engine type, but I think that some tradeoffs and limitations apply to especially the T Duke when it comes to taxi.

+1CoolP's description matches my experiences just about per'xactly.Did decide to pickup the JetProp yesterday and am enjoying the ride so far. Definitely agree that it's easier to taxi than the T Duke. In most other ways however (and admittedly based on only a couple of flight hours in the JetProp), I think the Duke's easier to manage and fly. The real world Duke cockpit and its mods for the turbines just seem extremely well laid out to my traditional mindset (see my comments elsewhere about my glass cockpit biases), and its VC with well-done clickspots for view switching make it easy to manage in the sim.The JetProp may finally push me over the edge to TrackIR and/or EZdock.Scott Edited February 18, 2012 by tttocs

[CoolP 283]

The JetProp may finally push me over the edge to TrackIR and/or EZdock.

Definitely go that way. You will love it, though it won't be cheap. But all planes will profit from it, so it sort of renders itself a very good investment. Since the setup may seem cryptic first, check the videos from here if you like. http://www.simforums.com/forums/my-ezdok-setup-videos_topic38637.html

[HawkDsl 50]

I've never had a problem with the Duke. I've seen RW pilots get a TP plane rolling with 75% condition/idle, and a quick on, then quick off of the power/thrust levers... using brakes to slow in turns, and power right, or power left if a twin for the turn... Works for me great!I've been in all kinds of planes, but not in a T duke... If the RW duke has anything like the RealAir Duke take off acceleration... Then my guess is that "depends" is required by their pilots for first time passengers. The thing is like a mini F18. In fact, I imagine the RW T duke is quit the hand full... A real "You'll shoot your eye out kid!" kind of plane if you don't know what your doing.I wish the Tduke had Jetprops cockpit though. I think its one of the best VC's I've ever seen. I've been torn between my two best lottery planes... Meridian, and TBM... but thats got nothing to do with the oil gauge./end hijack