Flying Dash feels like balancing a brick on pin head of a needle

[leghorn 76]

smooth and little to no elevator inputs. Correct glide with power. Lots of practice and it gets rather easy and enjoyable. Though, in gusting weather this aircraft makes me sweat..

[DaveCT2003 1,820]

I forgot to add that for many years the pilots at OVPA use significant turbulence and up/down drafts settings in ActiveSKyNext for all our flights. It makes things a little more challenging, but helps gives us the experience of real flight.  If you watch our live streams you'll see the many of our approaches we have the yokes banging back and forth just like one sees in Aircraft Approach Videos on YouTube (if course it depends on the weather). During other phases of flight the control inputs are just want Leghorn said... smooth and steady input.

[JYW 2,977]

I love the FDE of this bird.  Sure, it's very different to any other AC in FS and at first, it was flying me!! (rather than the other way around).   But with perseverence, I became very familiar with it's handling, and I can say hand on heart (and I'm not a real pilot), I can grease the 400 every time now.   I found it's all in the speed, on approach.  Too slow, and you'll be yanking on the yoke and the aircraft will feel unresponsive.  I tend to go 3-4 knots about calculated approach speeds for the best landing.  And then just be sensitive and wiggly with the controls and fly her down!

[bjratchf 80]

Also, when you have "study sims" like this one, remember that the real aircraft counterpart always had two pilots. 

 

Yes, the real Q400 had quirks that were exacerbated by the fact that it is a screwed-up evolution of the Dash-8 series- many of the quirks could be solved by making the Q400 a different type rating. But because it's the same type rating as the -300/-200/-100, they had to keep certain things "the same." A big one is the yaw damper (HA!), the ALTSEL, the fact that there are condition levers when they aren't really needed... 

 

So, the aircraft needed a tiny bit of babysitting. After a while of flying this thing, that babysitting just turns into second nature. You don't have to think about using left rudder when you reduce power in a descent, your foot just goes there, and your right had (without looking) moves down to the rudder trim to make an adjustment. Meanwhile, if you don't hear an ALTSEL callout by the FO your brain sparks and you look at the PFD for the ALTSEL display. Yes, I wish it was there automatically! But the reality is that it must be pushed each time you get an altitude change: the FAA doesn't care, ATC doesn't care- but with the "DHC8" rating on your license, you'd better know how to control your bird!

[HamSammich 17]

Agree 100-percent, Brendan.

 

BTW, do you fly out of KDXR? I have a buddy who's got a Decathlon there.

[amalishkin 10]

all thanks for your input really appreciated. as stated multiple times all my balance and weights are spot on, and within operating envelop.  I am thinking its perception when coming from big jets to turbo, this is my first turbo prop i fly now regularly i been mostly 737 and 777 so bit different feel than this. i did have to adjust my operational settings for throttles and controls and now seems to be on mark with what i expect out of this bird, so far been most fun flying, and love the part that i get hands on flying versus button hitting only

[HamSammich 17]

Cool. Stick with it. It'll reward you with a lot of fun flying into some really cool places.

[bjratchf 80]

Agree 100-percent, Brendan.

 

BTW, do you fly out of KDXR? I have a buddy who's got a Decathlon there.

 

Yes, that's the airport I grew up at, cut my teeth into commercial aviation there- North American aviation, Danbury Flight School which is now Arrow Aviation. Joannie remembers me when I was 15 answering phones at the front desk. 

[HamSammich 17]

It's a fun little place to drop into over that hill. I'm learning in this thing:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9dy77o1xutlum16/IMG_0751.JPG?dl=0

[bjratchf 80]

It's a fun little place to drop into over that hill. I'm learning in this thing:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9dy77o1xutlum16/IMG_0751.JPG?dl=0

 

I know that plane!

[HamSammich 17]

My friend Les. He used to fly a Piper Six. I'm going for a PPL in the Spring, I hope, out of KFRG or KHPN or something. In the meantime I try to go up whenever I can at Danbury.

[bjratchf 80]

Did he leaseback that six to the flightschool ever?

[HamSammich 17]

Not sure of the specifics. Only that he whines a little whenever he sees another Six take off. His friend, the FBO guy with the Mustang, keeps trying to get him into an SR22.

[sd_flyer 6,034]

Tried Q400 yesterday. Looks like trim happy airplane. Too bad I have to use keyboard trim all the time it not that convenient as to have it on the yoke

[sd_flyer 6,034]

I found this video of Dash 8 although 100. Pretty stabilized approach, not much trim action it seems. 

 

Does 400 fly different?