Landing is incredibly difficult

[tonywob 4,769]

I've had this plane a few days and love it so far (After downgrading to Windows 7).

 

However, I find performing a smooth landing nearly impossible. I trim correctly (I think), and use the calculations on the table to get the correct approach speeds, however the plane becomes incredibly unstable and starts violently pulling to the left and the vertical flight path starts to become really difficult to control once I'm at the last 1,000ft or so. I then find it really difficult to maintain the correct speed as it either starts to climb or on a few occasions I end up slamming into the runway being unable to flare or simply being too high and going around and trying again. I've also noticed in videos on YouTube then others seem to have the same problem.

 

Is there a trick to landing this plane that I'm missing. I've never had this much trouble with any other planes in FSX :-)

[Bert Pieke 7,585]

Try landing with Flaps 15 and 10 knots higher approach speed.

 

I find this plane is very controllable until you get close to stalling speeds.

[virtualstuff 758]

Bert Pieke, on 02 May 2013 - 10:37 PM, said:

 

Try landing with Flaps 15 and 10 knots higher approach speed.

 

I find this plane is very controllable until you get close to stalling speeds.

Yep same here :-) vref + (wind 1/2 steady wind + difference in gust to add) and max 20kts)

 

Example 270/12 and gust 17 and vref 117 gives 12 * 0.5 = 6 + 5 (17-12) = 11 vref 117 + 11 = 128

[c97019 0]

Sounds like you're trying to use too high of flaps, and having to use a lot of power to drag it in, and with the torque effect accurately depicted, it's yawing to the left from the propellers. As they suggested above, use less flap, higher speed (but not high enough that you're left in ground effect and float halfway through the runway before you touch down) and land the plane. It really is a difficult plane to land, it either has to get put down, or you get caught with a shortage of speed and power, and hit the ground pretty hard.

[RWFeldman 159]

Keep power on @ <125knts flaps 15 until main gear down then reduce power. Not like other planes where you cut the power before flaring. Its apiece of cake after a few practices.

[tonywob 4,769]

Thanks for the info guys, looks my mistake was I am approaching too slow and I'm using too high flap settings. Will keep trying :-)

[martin-w 3,235]

Using a high flap setting is not your problem. There is nothing wrong at all with full flap landings, that's what it's designed for.

 

Your problem is that you weren't aware that the Dash is a "power on" landing aircraft. Pull back the power as you usually do with other aircraft, and the prop blades will be flat on to the airstream, thus the plane will sink like a stone.

 

Keep power ON, as the poster above suggested. Power back AFTER the main gear touches down.

 

As for the yaw to the left, this is said to be a characteristic of the real aircraft. You will have to decide for yourself if you think Majestic have modelled this accurately, or a bit over the top. As non Dash pilots, we have no idea.

 

If you are using a joystick, and thus find the propwash effect less than desirable, resulting in the aircraft pulling to the left, it can be disabled.

 

I prefer it disabled personally, we don't have to be slaves to realism. If the hardware we are using, or personal preference dictates otherwise, a minor mod is no big deal.

 

Simming is about enjoyment.

[aentwis 61]

Many operators land using Flap 15... just make sure to set the landing flaps knob to whatever setting you actually use to avoid the GPWS warning kicking in...

 

As others have said, power must be kept on until the main gear have touched...

 

Practice... like I need to!

 

A

[tonywob 4,769]

@martin-w. Thanks for the info, that makes sense now, and I can see what I'm doing wrong. I'm cutting out the power as I pass over the threshold just before the back wheels touch the runway and then the plane just drops like a brick. :-)

[Peter Stoyanov 0]

Here is me perfectly landing after the difficult approach to LOWI RW08, you just have to learn the proper landing technique, which is exactly the same as in the real Dash-8, that's why Majestic software Q400 is the benchmark in the flight simulation for the moment.

 

[tonywob 4,769]

Here is me perfectly landing after the difficult approach to LOWI RW08, you just have to learn the proper landing technique, which is exactly the same as in the real Dash-8, that's why Majestic software Q400 is the benchmark in the flight simulation for the moment.

 

 

Nicely done, you make it look so easy. BTW, what is the scenery you are using for Innsbruck?

[Peter Stoyanov 0]

Nicely done, you make it look so easy. BTW, what is the scenery you are using for Innsbruck?

Thanks, I am using Aerosoft Austria Professional X for the mesh, textures,landclass and Aerosoft Approaching Innsbruck for the airport. Innsbruck and London City are my favourite airports for the Dash 8 in Europe.  

[SierraHotel 982]

Also learn how to use approach mode, it works like a charm. And practice,practice,practice..;-)

 

Peter Stoyanov, on 03 May 2013 - 3:52 PM, said:

Here is me perfectly landing after the difficult approach to LOWI RW08, you just have to learn the proper landing technique, which is exactly the same as in the real Dash-8, that's why Majestic software Q400 is the benchmark in the flight simulation for the moment.

Superb landing Peter, I have subscribed by the way..;-)

[Q_flyer 766]

When I first bought and flew this plane, 2 weeks ago, I was like whoooahhh, forget 10 years of flight simming;   I cannot land this plane!

 

Now 2 weeks later, hand on heart, almost every landing is a greaser :smile: ... the factor was as Martin said above, do not retard the power levers, until your main (back) wheels have fully touched down.   The props are huge on the Q400, and when they're not generating torque; they are immediately generating huge drag.     Once I realized this, and also that you must be established on approach (in terms of trim) by 500' in this aircraft, I nailed the landings.

 

PS... I do agree that Flaps 15 gives a far more smoother landing than 35.

[tonywob 4,769]

Thanks guys. I've successfully done two flights today and landed alive, EPGD (Gdansk) to EPPO (Poznan), and then EPPO (Poznan) to EDDM (Munich). The first landing was smooth, and as everyone has said, the trick seems to be keeping the power until the back wheels have touched the runway and then going to idle. With my second landing I floated a little bit so still need some more practice.