Whenever I go to take off in the Maule, it veers horribly to the left, until I crash or go to the map. It doesn't always do this, and I don't think it does it if I go through all the checklists first...what could the problem be?

With no crosswind at all, the Maule will pull slightly to the left when you apply power, requiring some right rudder input. With any crosswind, as the Maule picks up speed it will weathervane into the wind. These two add together if the crosswind is from the left.

 

If you have rudder controls, you should be able to give enough rudder to keep the plane straight. If you run out of rudder and the plane is still turning, hold the brake button or key. With the rudder fully deflected Flight will apply proper differential brakes, making the differential brake keys unnecesary. If you don't have rudder controls then you'll probably need to use differential brake commands. I think.

 

I have no problems taking off in a crosswind as long as I use the rudder to keep the nose aligned with the runway, then press and hold the brake button when the rudder is no longer effective enough. At this point I can usually back off on the rudder a bit while still holding the brakes. Don't worry, it won't slow you down enough to keep you from taking off.

 

It turns out the brakes are fairly sophisticated, and will probably end up being easier to use the way they are than by implementing proper differential toe brakes as an axis.

 

Hook

Even with max rudder it still does it...I think it's related to something with the checklists....hmmm

Even with max rudder it still does it...I think it's related to something with the checklists....hmmm

 

"Use the brakes, Luke!" -- Obi Wan Hooki

 

This was extensively discussed during beta.

It turns out the brakes are fairly sophisticated, and will probably end up being easier to use the way they are than by implementing proper differential toe brakes as an axis.

 

Nah, I think an actual toe-brake axis on each pedal with variable braking rather than the current "all or nothing" approach will be a lot easier to deal with.

I'm not saying I don't want variiable toe brakes, just that it may turn out that the current system works better. There's a bit of automated assist going on, even without the normal assists turned on.

 

Hook

Sometimes you need to accelerate slowly. Then, after you've built up speed and the rudder has more authority, you can firewall the throttle.

I'm not saying I don't want variiable toe brakes, just that it may turn out that the current system works better.

 

For someone that doesn't have rudder pedals with toe brakes, sure, the current system is about as good as you could hope for. But I can't even imagine the most remote possibility of the current all-or-nothing automatic system working better than a variable one I can precisely control.