Does Real-World Flight Control Hardware Have Detents?

[busdriver 258]

_{Happy to help.}

[vortex681 806]

Real-world helicopters which have a stability system or an autopilot usually have a stick trim system which holds the stick steady with a set of springs (but you can easily push against them). There's usually a trim button on the cyclic stick (the joystick) which allows you to momentarily switch off the stick trim to select a new stick datum/trimmed position.

[skelsey 765]

Also worth mentioning that to an extent it depends on the design of the flight controls.

 

For instance, most light aircraft have an elevator connected to the stick. There is then a trim tab on the elevator which you move with the trim wheel. When trimmed, this aerodynamically holds the elevator in the position in which you placed it. Result: the stick is now held in whatever position you were holding it to maintain the attitude.

 

On (usually) larger aircraft with a trimmable horizontal stabiliser, you deflect the elevators with the stick to select a new nose attitude. When you trim, the whole horizontal stab moves and once in trim the elevators will be in the neutral position, faired with the stabiliser. Result: stick is in a central position.

 

In practice theres not really a lot of difference to the way it feels to the pilot, who in any event will be trimming to relieve the control forces.

[Chock 17,769]

Note that if you fly an Airbus with a sidestick controller (i.e. all of them apart from the A300, which has a traditional yoke), the side stick controllers have a what might be regarded as a detent, in that they are spring-loaded to go back to centre when you let go of them, so most PC joysticks are very similar in behaviour.

[b1bmsgt 207]

My CH setup has been bothering me a little because the detents seem very strong. Subtle movements when landing or while on tarmac can be difficult. Been considering the spring mods, which is really what prompted me to create this topic in the first place. Does the PFC have a spring that pulls it back to center?

 

 

I did the Roger Dodger spring to rubber band mod on my CH yoke (after the warranty was up!) and the difference is amazing. My flying is much smoother, and control is much more precise.  I never liked the spring setup, as it is much too strong IMHO. I suppose it is trying to simulate the aerodynamic forces that you would feel in a real world GA aircraft, but I never liked it. I flew Cherokee 140's back in the '70's, and the feeling is quite different. No way to really simulate it that I am aware of. (The old force feedback sticks sucked at it!)

Anyway, if your warranty is up, or you don't care about it, I would heartily recommend the Mod!

 

Russ

[Rossco 23]

Yes my older yoke has four springs that are easily disconnected.

 

The newer models however have a bungee system.

 

Regardless, the PFC is so smooth you have no issues with grabbing or over tightness when using it particularly in the flare for landing. 

 

I have had mine for about six years now & although expensive would replace it without a second thought if I had to.

 

I believe high quality hardware is such an enhancement for my simming experience I have recently purchased PFC throttles as well.

 

My Saiteks' that lasted me quite some years finally started spiking badly & were not replaceable due to no stock available so I sprung for the PFC's. No more bouncing throttles in the VC. They sit rock solid steady & are super smooth!

[vortex681 806]

I flew Cherokee 140's back in the '70's, and the feeling is quite different. No way to really simulate it that I am aware of. (The old force feedback sticks sucked at it!)

You obviously didn't try them with FS Force (a software add-on). Whilst nothing outside a commercial flight sim will ever truly reproduce the control forces on the ground, my MS FFB2 joystick with FS Force gives far more realistic forces than those in FSX by default. For example, they respond to different speeds and you can feel stall buffet. You can even feel the stick being pulled forward by the weight of the elevator when stationary on the ground. Plus, they're fully configurable and you get "real” stick trim where the stick datum actually moves in response to trim input - you can actually trim out the forces.

[b1bmsgt 207]

You obviously didn't try them with FS Force

 

 

No, I wasn't aware of it. Wish I had been, but the stick is long gone now, so that's that. I'm pretty happy with the CH yoke, but I hope to someday maybe get a Yoko...

 

Russ

[busdriver 258]

Just keep in mind, the Airbus stick is passive. We don't get any feedback, nor does the stick move when the autopilot is engaged....