Please help ......Douglas R4D, DC3

[Alaaar 34]

Hello all

 

I went through the forum for days now and other google resources, I have two major issues:

1. I started with missing altimeter problem and was fixed.
2. The engine wont start from C&D situation the blades rotate but then stops it won't fire up, then I decided to start the flight with engines running.
3. After take off at about 2,000ft AGL I lose both engines power completely speed goes down also manifold pressure and the plane just stall and goes into a dive to a crash ...... I tried to adjust props and mixture with no luck....I fly in a good weather so there is no icing effect?
4. At the last attempt to taxi, the plane wouldn't turn right or left, I know there is a back tail wheel locker it wasn't on.

Unfortunately, with the amount of great work put into designing & modeling the plane I just couldn't  fly it for a single leg?  so any help will be highly appreciated.

 

Best regards

 

Alaa Riad  

[flytriman 22]

I assume your referring to the MAAM aircraft...if not ignore what I say below.

 

Engine Starting - I had the same problem.  Had to go into my "aircraft.cfg" file and change the "normalized_starter_torque" to 1.55.  You will find it under [GeneralEngineData], [piston_engine]".  Depending on your system you may have to go higher or lower.

 

Turning while taxing - Must use differential braking to turn on the ground...rudder input does nothing.  If you want to make it handle on the ground like it has a nosewheel there is a different aircraft.cfg file called "aircraft.cfgES". that will do that.  Just follow directions in the manual to use that file.

 

Loss of Power at 2000 ft - Do you get the "chicken" when this happens...it's a sound like an excited chicken.  When you get that it means you have done something to damage the engines and everything just quits and your going down.  When it has happened to me it was because I let the engines get to hot for to long.  Check the MAAM forum and you will find quite a few references to "the chicken"...their little joke.  Wish they had done it more realistically and just created a lot of smoke with a gradual loss of power...but no...everything just quits.  I find on a warm day have to leave the cowl flaps fully open on climb until I get some altitude (>5000 ft)...and keep the airspeed up.  Next flight leave the cowl flaps open and depart from somewhere cold (like Alaska), but watch for Carb Ice there.

 

Hope this helps.  Good luck.

 

PS:  A lot of stuff does not work correctly if you running the aircraft in FSX...but it's usable...still the best R4D/C-47/DC-3 out there.  Wish they could have finished it for FSX or given to A2A to complete.

[Alaaar 34]

Many thanks flytriman .......It's really amazing I got the chicken sound many times I thought it's something else happening .....I will try everything you mentioned ....Regarding MAAM forum it directs me here ......Thanks again 

[Alaaar 34]

Dear flytriman, many thanks I followed all your instructions and I had my first full flight last night it was very interesting. however regarding the engine start issue and the power scalar value I used .97 instead of 1.55 - 

best regards

 

Alaa 

 

[flytriman 22]

Glad it worked for you...have fun...it's a good airplane.

[Alaaar 34]

Yes Sir amazing plane indeed 

[Alaaar 34]

Hello Flytriman.....My savior

 

Only one issue that I have been reading about and not reaching a definitive conclusion yet.....The heading bug - of the Sperry autopilot- with 10 degrees insertion when is on.... How to make it dial in one degree without the need to replace the whole panel ? I like the panel old and ventage ? Many thanks & best regards  

   

[Alaaar 34]

OK just for the record ......What I learned is that, the Sperry AP Mark III was never intended to act as modern AP systems ....It will not navigate the plane nor fine tune heading and pitch .....So what should happen is after takeoff there will be a targeted heading and altitude......You will get there manually monitoring at the same time gear, flaps, cowl flaps, CHT gauge, speedometer, oil temperature gauge, altimeter, VOR OBI, DME, RPM, MAN and fuel mixture ....Which is, believe it or not is doable and fun .....Again at VOR points or intersections or as per ATC instructions you will disengage AP and performer the heading change manually then to compensate for lose or gain of altitude later to activate the AP when you are satisfied .......Frankly, it adds a whole dimension of realism to the MAAM, R4D / DC3 ......Any feed back will be highly appreciated 

[scanham 4]

Hello Flytriman.....My savior

 

Only one issue that I have been reading about and not reaching a definitive conclusion yet.....The heading bug - of the Sperry autopilot- with 10 degrees insertion when is on.... How to make it dial in one degree without the need to replace the whole panel ? I like the panel old and ventage ? Many thanks & best regards  

   

I had been using the DC-3/R4D for FS9 a few years ago and just yesterday installed it in FSX-SE using the free upgrade.  You probably already found the answer to your question above, but here is what the manual says:

 

IMPORTANT: There is a bug in FS2004 that causes its DG and the main DG to

adjust only in 10-degree increments when the Sperry is switched ON. When it

is OFF, the card will adjust in one-degree increments. There is no known fix for

this problem, however, as a work-around, using the wheel on a wheel mouse

will allow single-degree adjustment.

 

I plan on attempting my first flight later today.  Your description about using the Sperry Mark III "autopilot" is helpful and refreshed my memory.

 

Thanks,

[Alaaar 34]

 

I had been using the DC-3/R4D for FS9 a few years ago and just yesterday installed it in FSX-SE using the free upgrade.  You probably already found the answer to your question above, but here is what the manual says:

 

IMPORTANT: There is a bug in FS2004 that causes its DG and the main DG to

adjust only in 10-degree increments when the Sperry is switched ON. When it

is OFF, the card will adjust in one-degree increments. There is no known fix for

this problem, however, as a work-around, using the wheel on a wheel mouse

will allow single-degree adjustment.

 

I plan on attempting my first flight later today.  Your description about using the Sperry Mark III "autopilot" is helpful and refreshed my memory.

 

 

Good luck Steve, I have been flying this bird for two weeks and cant get enough and cant complain.....The insertion issue now is not an issue anymore with turning off AP for seconds and adjust heading -partially- .....There are interesting stuff keep on coming every day