FSX-MS Aerosoft Twin Otter Extended

[andymartin 1]

Does anyone fly the above aircraft and could help me out with one or two things please?

Regards

Andy

[vc10man 732]

Hi Andy

 

I have it and is a while since I flew it as I have been away out of the country. What is it that you'd like help on?

[FleaJump 7]

Here is a link to the one-stop discussion forum for the Twotter.  Everything you wanted to know but were reluctant to ask will be answered there by the pros.

 

 

http://forum.aerosoft.com/index.php?/forum/588-twin-otter-extended/

[andymartin 1]

Thanks for the link to the aerosoft forum but ive posted questions on there and found them to be the most unhelpful users and therefore the most useless forum ever.  

 

I find the figures in the manual to be very inaccurate, especially the take off speeds/configuration, and landing speeds/configuration.     It is impossible to take off or land at the figures quoted, even though they have come, apparantly, from the real world manual.    I cant seem to get it to lift off at much below 80 kts, even at flaps 20, and they quote rotate at 65 with flaps 10!

 

The autopilot does a strange thing when i level out and engage it in altitude mode it noses down and dives.  The altitude select is higher than im actually at so it cant be that.   Maybe it needs to be very accurately trimmed manually before engaging autopilot?

 

Would appreciate any advice

Regards

Andy

[jabloomf1230 2,445]

As to the autopilot, here is a helpful two part video:

 

 

I should add that you should be mindful of the CG with this aircraft. It does impact its performance.

[andymartin 1]

I have watched that video and i understand how the autopilot is supposed to work but it does do some strange things.  As well as diving when initiating alt hold, if when climbing after take off I initiate the ias , it doesnt even hold the speed .

 

I use the fuel and load planner so i presume it accurately takes care of the CG when adding/reducing payload as there doesnt seem to be a way of loading it manually.

 

Thanks

Andy

[htuna 2]

Is the plane trimmed properly before you turn on the AP?

Don't touch the stick at all when AP is turned on as well, there's a lil knob I think in the back of the yoke I think (trying to remember) it's with the Anti Yaw button.. you use that to adjust pitch.. you only click Alt when you achieve the desired Alt..

[BeechPapa 32]

 

As to the autopilot, here is a helpful two part video:

 

Wow, nice cockpit. That guy must really love the Twin Otter. Good for him. 

[Alan_A 1,650]

 

 

I use the fuel and load planner so i presume it accurately takes care of the CG when adding/reducing payload as there doesnt seem to be a way of loading it manually.

 

I've found that the Twin Otter Extended get severely tail-heavy with less than full fuel, especially with a heavy payload.  Checking CG in the FSX/P3D fuel and payload dialog showed CG well aft.  What I've done since then is to load it in the Aerosoft planner, then work back and forth between the planner and the in-game dialog box to get the balance right.  The less authentic but effective solution is to load full fuel and no payload - it seems to trim out best in that situation with no other adjustments needed.  Would be interested to know if others have had this experience or if it's just something peculiar to my system (or my lack of skill...)

[vc10man 732]

Just doing test flight from Prestwick to Liverpool. had no problems lifting at around 80kts.Steady climb-out to selected ALT of 10000.IAS is steady at above 100kts while climbing but as soon as I reached 10k and selected ALT, plane levelled off, and the IAS increased to settle steady at 165kts. Will report on descent phases and landing at Liverpool later. But so far, no issues.

[flapsdown 45]

There seems to be some "ground friction" problem with the Twotter, specifically the power needed to taxi is ridiculously high for me.

The first releases of the plane didn't show this, but the final product release that included the -100, and amphib models seems to have it.

There has been speculation that it some how has something to do with the plane's interaction with ORBX scenery, but I can't say for sure any more, since my entire 

FSX world is either covered by FTX Global or Full Fat regions.

 

It has been a bit frustrating, as the Aerosoft answer to this is that FSX has problems with ground friction (which is true), but since the plane behaved better before the final release in any scenery situation, this explanation falls a bit flat. Still, the Twotter is one of my favorite planes, and my go to weapon for almost all back-country and bush flying.

 

As always, this is my personal experience with the aircraft and YMMV.

 

Chris B.

[vc10man 732]

Using UK2000 Scenery airports. That FSX friction issue could well be the cause of the 'sticking'.

 

Agree, the previous Twotter before the Extended was a better model.

[flapsdown 45]

Agree, the previous Twotter before the Extended was a better model.

 

I actually quite like the current X model vs the original - what I was referring to is that Twotter X  came out in stages, and I bought in from the beginning, when only the "wheeled" and "tundra" tired versions were initially provided, and these releases were just fine (if a bit twitchy with the usual FSX Turboprop issues) - it was only the latter releases of the Twotter X that had these ground friction problems for me - and none of my other favorites like RealAir, PMDG, A2A, Majestic, and even some Carenado's (like the 337),  have ever shown this "stuck to the ground" business...

 

You can even tell that this "stickiness" varies between runway/taxiway material types as you proceed...

[vc10man 732]

After just landing at EGGP, with no issues, I now realise why I parked/shelved this in the Hangar----it requires so much throttle just to 'unstick' it. Not found this to be an issue with other Aerosoft aircraft.

[jabloomf1230 2,445]

 

 

There seems to be some "ground friction" problem with the Twotter, specifically the power needed to taxi is ridiculously high for me.

 

Other than there is a ground friction problem built in to both FSX and P3d, the Twotter is still a hair different. Because there is a lag caused by turbine spin-up, it can be very challenging to taxi the Twotter. Keep giving it more throttle until it begins to roll, then back down using the torque gauge as your guide.