DC6_Flyer,

Good observations, as I have mentioned in a different post, you have to stay on to of the aircraft during the approach (especially if you are hand flying), minor power lever adjustments may have to be made to control not getting too slow or too fast.  In the flare, I usually ease back (not completely back to FI) on the power levers at about 10 feet above the ground, and hold the nose off the ground for a few seconds and gently rest the nose gear down.

If you have to initiate a go-aound, simply advance the power lever to the rating detent and activate the go-around button on the power levers.  Pressing the button on the power levers will set a pitch of 10 degrees on the flight director for guidance.

The flight director does need a tad bit more fine tuning, which will be addressed.  Here is a small hint:  as soon as you retract the gear press the HDG button on the FGCP "twice" (1st time switches to WINGS LVL and the second time will re-select HDG SEL).  The FD will give more accurate guidance until you switch over to LNAV.

Hi all,

 

Thanks for the comments. Im fine with the fact that the Q400 does not have a tab and that the elevator position is directly controlled by the trim setting. Great.

 

Having said that, please try the following:

 

Set trim to a significant nose down position. Now pull all the way back on the yoke. (your hardware yoke)

 

The elevator will now not move all the way to the top of the indicator on the PFD display, it will stop about 3/4 of the way up. If this is how its supposed to be, then fine, but can it be confirmed?

 

Im more concerned that it may be an issue specific to me.

 

Thanks,

Let me second Simeon's post in agreement- this is a power-on landing airplane, with flaps 15. I remember training guys in the sim that transitioned over from one of our barbie jets, and at the 50ft callout on the GPWS started easing back on the levers. It was a hard habit to break. I usually have people target a Vref+10 on final, so that you'll have a little extra airspeed to work with. 

 

Every airplane has its weird things. The Delta 76s I fly currently have their own technique with the lack of winglets, and weaker GE engines, and the ones from LTU with PW engines and winglets have their technique. 

Let me second Simeon's post in agreement- this is a power-on landing airplane, with flaps 15. I remember training guys in the sim that transitioned over from one of our barbie jets, and at the 50ft callout on the GPWS started easing back on the levers. It was a hard habit to break. I usually have people target a Vref+10 on final, so that you'll have a little extra airspeed to work with. 

 

Every airplane has its weird things. The Delta 76s I fly currently have their own technique with the lack of winglets, and weaker GE engines, and the ones from LTU with PW engines and winglets have their technique. 

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Can you confirm my findings in post #17?

 

I have also thought that perhaps the limited elevator authority in certain trim settings is done on purpose to prevent tail strikes seeing as the 400 has a rather long fuselage?

Hi all,

 

Thanks for the comments. Im fine with the fact that the Q400 does not have a tab and that the elevator position is directly controlled by the trim setting. Great.

 

Having said that, please try the following:

 

Set trim to a significant nose down position. Now pull all the way back on the yoke. (your hardware yoke)

 

The elevator will now not move all the way to the top of the indicator on the PFD display, it will stop about 3/4 of the way up. If this is how its supposed to be, then fine, but can it be confirmed?

 

Im more concerned that it may be an issue specific to me.

 

Thanks,

Glenn... I just started up the Q400 in FSX, and was able to move the trim for the full deflection- both on the PFCS indication and on the trim indicator on the pedestal.

 

What happened with me is that when I pressed the ELEVATOR TRIM SHUT OFF button, it didn't shut off the elevator trim (which is a safety feature of the aircraft for use in runaway trim scenarios). 

 

When you hit the "stopping point" what are you seeing reflected on the PFCS (flight control position) indications. Is the elevator trim shutoff button illuminating after a few seconds of pressing it?

Glenn... I just started up the Q400 in FSX, and was able to move the trim for the full deflection- both on the PFCS indication and on the trim indicator on the pedestal.

 

What happened with me is that when I pressed the ELEVATOR TRIM SHUT OFF button, it didn't shut off the elevator trim (which is a safety feature of the aircraft for use in runaway trim scenarios). 

 

When you hit the "stopping point" what are you seeing reflected on the PFCS (flight control position) indications. Is the elevator trim shutoff button illuminating after a few seconds of pressing it?

 

What happens with me is that the trim works fine and I can see the elevator position moving on the PFCS.

 

The problem is that if I trim to a nose down position the elevator can not get to full deflection when I pull back on the yoke. The PFCS shows the elevator stopping short of the full travel position.

 

I can post pics if it will help?

oh! Hmmmm I'm trying to think if in the real plane the same thing happens- I've never had a situation like that (thank god!) It might be outside the scope of my 1200 page systems manual too. 

 

In the sim we'd train the runaway elevator trim situation, but so long as the PF would hit the PUSH OFF button, the plane would still be somewhat controllable. However as far as I would guess, if the trim was outside what is normal (and I say "normal" with a grain of salt, since there's no definition other than the white arc for takeoff) the plane would be very hard to control- such as when its near the full NU/ND stop. 

 

I'm gonna boot up and do a test flight before the matinee. I'll let you know what I find out. If its any consolation, there is a general trim discussion on our internal software page right now- so I'll move anything I find up the food chain of people.

I know this may not be exactly what OP is asking...But if you watch from about "3:06" in, and all the way down to the runway the "Captain" is continually trimming...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deUrrhGzwDk