Okay, I know I should know this by now, but in going back and flying the Baron I've discovered that I've always had a problem getting these aircraft up there. The aircraft notes say that the Baron has a maximum ceiling of ~20,000 feet. However, I'm having trouble getting too much past FL 125. I can't climb without my speed flirting dangerously with stalling, and even in straight and level at FL 130 I'm only flying at 126 IAS (156 TAS). I've got my prop pitch at 69% and mixture at 27%.I even pulled out the Microsoft help documents to see if they could help me. It informs me that mixture should be at EGT (which it appears to be at at 412 C, and that prop pitch is a variable thing where full open means full power, and that it's more efficient at higher altitudes to reduce it to be more efficient. At 69%, the prop pitch is well within the gren arc on RPM (2202).However, it also said that manifold pressure can be equated to how much power the engine has available. My manifold pressure appears to be pretty low at 18.1 Hg.I'm not even sure what cowl flaps are or how they work. Would they have anything to do with this?One final qustion, what exactly is Prop Sync and what are the advantages/disadvantages?Any suggestions on how to get my Baron at least flying at its cruise speed?

HiLet me attempt this...First, high altitude flight in a non-turbo aircraft in FS is a nearly non-existent thing. Although the service ceiling of many of the RW Baron, Aztec, C-310 type aircraft are in the 15K range, getting them there in FS is nearly impossible. I suspect that it is the way that air density is modeled. Given everything is set correctly, you should expect the following at high altitudes without turbo-charging..Reduced indicated airspeed...Reduced true airspeed...Higher pitch attitude....Flying altitudes can be tricky... These type aircraft have constant speed propellers. For the Baron, I'd recommend setting 2500 for climb; 2300 to 2450 for cruise. It won't make much difference in FS at what end of the range you use. I use 2500 for climbout, 2450 for cruise climb, 2400 for cruise and 2300 for let-down. In the RW, a slower propeller is more agreeable with the passengers simply due to noise. One thing is that in a normally aspirated engine you want to keep the engines squared. That means keep the RPM/100 above the Manifold Pressure. Think 25 inches, 2500 RPM. The Manifold Pressure should be below the RPM/100 except at take-off. Piston engines have a maximum takeoff thrust that is flat rated for five minutes. As soon as the wheels are up, and altitude/airspeed permit, square the engines - 25 inches/2500 RPM. This also helps with noise abatement not that any of the FS citizens in the community are actually going to complain :)For your mixture lean to the rich side of peak EGT. That is, as you lean, EGT will increase until it peaks. When it peaks, enrichen slightly. This is a continual thing through your climb. And when you start letdown through approach you will be adjusting again.Manifold Pressure is a reflection of how much power the engine is developing. Among other things, it is dependent on the atmospheric pressure which decays with altitude. You should see a decay of 1 inch of Hg for each 1000 feet of altitude. At Sea Level on an ISA day, the max you will see is almost 30 inchesCowl flaps affect air flow for engine cooling. In cruise flight they should be closed. Takeoff - Open. Taxi - Open. Let-down and Aproach - Closed. In FS, other than visual appearance, I can't tell they do anything. In the real world, you can see a noticeable difference in drag as well as control the Cylinder Head Temp (CHT).Prop Sync (Actually) Propeller Synchronization..is a device that, in the RW sets one propeller as a master and slaves the other one to it so that both propellers are turning exactly the same RPM. A spinning propeller produces an audible, natural harmonic inside the aircraft. This harmonic has a frequency. Two propellers, spinning at slightly different speeds produce two harmonics each with their own frequencies. These two harmonics together will produce an alternating, throbbing audible sound that will give you one mother of a headache if left un-corrected. And the passengers complain. FS models this, (the throbbing of the propellers - not the passengers complaining) a little but not very well. Other than eye candy on the instrument panel, it's ineffective. I have several different GA twins, both payware and freeware that have sync switches but other than a cute light, they do nothing...Suggestions on flight...Operate below 10000 feet unless you have a turbo-charged airfile. If you do have that, this discussion is moot. A whole different flight profile is created that opens up a new range of possibilities.There are several outstanding turbo-charged aircraft available if you want the altitude ability. FSD has a Piper Seneca, Navajo and and soon, the Aerostar. Dreamfleet has a 310. Flight1 has a 421C. I own the 310, 421C and Seneca and recommend any of them. My favorite is the 310. I'll be getting the Navajo before the summer is out. And I keep hoping that someone will do a payware quality Aztec, preferably the F model. I absolutely love that airplane...Hope this helps and remember...the greasy side goes down...:)BobL

>Let-down and Aproach - Closed. In FS, other than visual>appearance, I can't tell they do anything. In the real world,>you can see a noticeable difference in drag as well as control>the Cylinder Head Temp (CHT).I think this depends on the A/C. I believe FSD models drag in their Seneca V if the cowl flaps are open. I doubt any of the default A/C do although I wouldn't know as I hardly use them.

Thanks so much for the VERY informative post! I feel better knowing that I was generally doing the right thing, but that there's some sticky air up there due to the FS guys that keeps these birds from getting to their maximum altitude. I'll keep to <10,000 feet in the non-turbocharged aircraft. Also, the RPM/100 tip was particularly helpful.And, even if it doesn't do much in FS at this point, knowing the proper operation of the cowl flaps is nice to know, beyond just seeing that switch there. Open on the ground and during takeoff and climb, and closed during cruise, descent, and landing, and open again during taxi to parking.About the prop sync, other than an emergency where one engine would need to perform differently, is there really any reason why prop sync would be better turned off?I've traditionally been one of those VFR guys who likes to fly cross country and back taking screenshots, but knowing more about how the aircraft works (or would work, if MS simulated all systems appropriately) is great.Many thanks,Kenneth

Actually, yes. Anytime there is an actual high power, high RPM requirement or the potential that you will need one on short notice (such as during Takeoff, Initial Climb, Approach and Landing) the prop synch needs to be off. It needs to be off during approach and landing due to the potential for a go-around.You need to bear in mind that in a RW synchrophaser, in addition to a power switch, there is a mode select where you can select which engine/propeller is the master and which one is the slave. It also operates by sensing RPM on the master propeller and then metering an oil pressure change in the propeller governor on the slaved propeller. This changes the pitch of the slave propeller, not the power of the engine.So, let's assume that you're landing. Short final, 200 yards left to go. Your blueline on the airspeed. And almost committed to land. John Q Bugsmasher, with his Citabria pulls out in front of you. You go to takeoff power with the prop synch on. At that precise moment, because you pushed the throttles up to fast, the master engine coughs...Care to guess what that syncrophaser is going to do to the propeller on the engine that's still running???... You got it. It's going to try and match it to the one that just quit. Full high pitch (low RPM). Not pretty... The two times I've actually seen it in the RW, the result was a widow...BobL

Just because the Baron's max altitude is 20,000ft, doesn't mean it's designed to cruise there. I think the FAA's definition of service ceiling is something like the max pressure altitude that the aircraft can no longer maintiain a minimum of 100fpm climb. That is pressure altitude, not altitude above sea level.The recommended climb power setting for the baron is 25" MP and 2500RPM and cowl flaps open. Remember the Baron isn't turbocharged, so somewhere around 5-6000ft. you will no longer be able to maintain 25" MP at full throttle.You will lose about 1" MP for each 1000ft of altitude, so at 20,000ft you're only going to be able to get 10" MP out out of those engines. The Baron's cruises best between 5000-8000ft.

I did my Multi Training IRL on a Beech Baron just a few months ago. For climb we use 2500 RPM, Full Power on the manifolds, and left the mixture Full Rich as it had altitude compensation, with a target speed of 140 KIAS for cruise climb.

Hey Bob,Thanks for the thoughtful reply. Being a beginning pilot, you answered many of the questions that I too have. I remember way back someone posted a cfg file adjustment that turbo-charged the Baron. It was quite some time ago tho'. I've also found some great explanations of the sort that you spoke about in The Complete Private Pilot by Bob Gardner. It just came yesterday from Amazon. I finally understand the basics of mixture/air density and also of propeller rpm! Great book for the new guys...regards,Mark

FS models the CHT cooling with open cowl flaps quite nicely. The drag is not modeled expect for some FSD planes where the cowl flaps practically work as spoilers(in this case the CHT cooling is not modeled AFAIK).Alex

Okay, if I may ask another really dumb question that I should have known by now (if you can't tell, I'm taking my aircraft off autopilot and doing more than looking at the scenery).I wonder if I'm overly zealous with my controlling, or if I have a setting incorrect somewhere. It seems that barely pushing my joystick (Saitek Cyborg Evo) forward results in a very strong dip forward. The control of the aircraft all around seems rather touchy, ailerons and elevator alike. However, adjusting my sensitivity makes the aircraft feel sludgy, and I wind up having to overcorrect for my movement and that never turns out graceful nor, well, safe for the FS passengers. There's that "passenger complaining" that they never built in again...Could someone let me know if they have this problem with the Saitek and if so what your sensitivity settings are, or am I just a lousy armchair pilot? ;-)Many thanks,Kenneth

Hi Kenneth,Is this on the Baron? If so, the airfile (?) is not representative of the aircraft. Go over the FSD and ask Steve Small (nicely) if you could have the airfile he created for the Baron (and the KingAir while you're at it). I did this quite some time ago (I'm a recent returnee to FS9) and both aircraft were a breeze to fly.Good luck!Mark

As a new Baron pilot I'd sure like to get a hold of that airfile also....

>As a new Baron pilot I'd sure like to get a hold of that>airfile also....Indeed, I'd like to have both of them. On my system the Baron is unuseable because it's too sensitive to all control movement. I just leave it alone. But it's a nice plane and I would like to fly it around.

Hi,This has nothing to do with your request re prop mixture but I had to stop in to say HOWDY!I was stationed at England Air Force Base back in the eighties - my daughter was born there. I'm sure Alexandria has grown and changed a lot since I was there. We liked Alexandria a lot and I almost retired to that area.Anyway, hope all is well and take care.Tom (retired military):-wave

As I recall, Steve Small's airfile fixes were for FS 2002. Do they work with FS 2004, and if so, are they an improvement or did MS incorporate his changes and other improvements in FS 2004 making Steve's airfiles unnecesary.Macwino