Whilst I realise that with its lack of ground clearance and prop clearance, the Turbo Commander is not an aircraft you would generally use on bush flying type airstrip surfaces, I have seen one operating on a very smooth and fine gravel runway.

Unfortunately it seems that there is engine damage hard coded into the Carenado model, that precludes using the aircraft on any landing surface other than tarmac.

Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this, and/or is bothered by it?  I'm all for realism, but regardless of the aircraft's suitability for the role, I'd like to be able to take the risk if I want to, without an automatic double engine failure as soon as I land on gravel or dirt.

The included aircraft checklist makes reference to not using full reverse if landing on dirt - but it doesn't say DON'T land on gravel or dirt.

Any thoughts?

Cheers.

Al.

 

Never even heard of the possibility that the surface can be a trigger for an engine failure and it's certainly nothing Carenado/Alabeo could do. Let me check that.

 

edit: confirmed, that's really strange!  It's related to the wheelbrakes. If you land/taxi faster than 30kts using the brakes immediately results in a double engine failure.

If you use only reverse the engines keep running.

Further investigation reveals its not just on landing.  I loaded a flight up using a random grass airstrip, and the engines failed after a few seconds of just sitting at idle with brakes on.

Very strange!

Can't replicate the grass thing, but it's nevertheless the weirdest bug I've seen....so far.

edit: I didn't notice this bug because I have crash detection set to off (I know when I have crashed) and with that option disabled this failure doesn't occur.

 

 

Except for A2A, I have always turned off damage and collision as the damage modelling on most planes is horrible. Also Orbyx/P3D is generous with their trees and buildings. With col detection on there are many airports that would be impossible to fly into normally so I just fly through insanely placed trees and choose a realistic approach and fly right though a 60 ft pine placed center line at the fence. Drug runners loved the Commanders and many flew into grass/dirt strips in SC that I would only attempt in a small single. Maybe some damage to the belly or fod if you are heavy reverse at low speeds. I have seen nose wheel fenders which prevent belly damage. I dunno just turn off damage as imo its horribly done on most everthing.

I've landed Shrike Commander, 680F and 690 on unprepared runways, dirty runways, shorts landings are hard work....  More on the 690,.....  "narcommander" are a good nickname for this beauty's!!

A detail that I see today on a video on YouTube, for me seems that the nose gear is a bit higher, the nose seems to be little up. 

Regard 

RB 

 

Ot while we wait but Commander related.

I worked for the SC State Aeronautics Comm and our Wildlife Comm had a Shrike we used for everything. I flew mostly nights using nvg for everything from drugs runners to guys shining for deer. I recall dumping it onto stretches of rural roads to disembark agents to arrest offenders. There was a huge drug op flying into strips S of KCAE ranging from 1200 - 3000. They parked cars on both ends and with 50ft pines on both ends at night on mostly unprepared strips grazed on by cows was a quite a feat. Most Commanders had all the signs of drug planes with painted on tail numbers,tinted glass, prop,belly damage and of course fuel was payed for by cash. Sadly, most were used a few times and either burned or parted out. I knew 3 people killed in 690 accidents including my roommate when the tail separated climbing out of KJAX. Hoover did more bad than good doing his payed airshow routine when there was great concern over the safety of the Commanders but thats my opinion. I dont recall that big placard staring you in the face but its there for a reason. The other probably fell asleep during a night decent and bounced off a field and ended up in a river. When I got out, Commander prices were falling fast due to the numerous ADs and high replacement cost of the fuel cells and other life limited parts.

How bizarre?  Just bought this one and on my second flight set up a departure at Tipella in B.C. - a dirt strip.  Each takeoff roll the engines would stop dead and could not be restarted including with Ctrl + E.  No issues on a grass strip airport I made myself.  This is a bug or something like it that needs a bug fix.  Anyone else experiencing this issue today?

RESOLVED:  just to report no longer experiencing this anomaly - possibly as a result of installing Bill's v.5 mods.