I recently had a Hdd crash which caused me to lose everything on the Hdd - including my many (too many) downloaded addon a/c. So, after reinstalling FS2004 and waiting for FSx to come along, I thought I would concentrate my efforts on a smaller number of really good a/c that I had previously downloaded but never really gotten around to mastering. So, first off, I am concentrating on Miltons' three taildraggers. I initially set them all up for tail wheel steering via the CFG file. But that causes the Howard 500 to be ridiculously easy to turn - almost on a pin. So I have set them back to no tail wheel steering. However, when I was using tail wheel steering on the Beechcraft, I was able to use the tail wheel lock on the panel - this was really good, but I don't know how realistic that is. The question I am now asking is - do the Howard and the Spartan have tail wheel locks on the panel -- if they do, I can't find them.Thanks for any helpRegards Barry

Barry, The Howard 500 tailwheel lock is actuated when pulling back on the joystick during taxi. I don't believe the Spartan is equipped with a tailwheel lock.Hope that helps.Happy Flying! :-wave

Hmm - I have heard reference to this before - but can't seem to get it to work. Obviously this could only work with the CFG file set up to have a "steerable" tail wheel in the first place. Barry

I don't use the steerable tail wheel option and it is working fine for me. Check to see if you have tailwheel_lock=1 at the bottom of the contacts section.[contact_points]max_number_of_points = 7//point.0 = 1, -38.815, 0, -1.1, 1574.803, 0, 0.667, 60, 0.3, 3, 0.5, 3, 5, 0, 194, 220//Replace contact_point.0 below with the one above if you want a steerable tailwheelpoint.0 = 1, -38.815, 0, -1.1, 1574.803, 0, 0.667, 180, 0.3, 3, 0.5, 3, 5, 0, 194, 220point.1 = 1, 1.65, -9.75, -7.022, 1574.803, 1, 1.708, 0, 0.8, 1.5, 0.7, 1.8, 3, 2, 194, 220point.2 = 1, 1.65, 9.75, -7.022, 1574.803, 2, 1.708, 0, 0.8, 1.5, 0.7, 1.8, 3, 3, 194, 220point.3=2, -0.9, -37.0, 3.05, 800.0, 0, 0.00, 0.0, 0.000, 0.0, 0.000, 0.0, 0.0, 5.0, 0.0, 0.0point.4=2, -0.9, 37.0, 3.05, 800.0, 0, 0.00, 0.0, 0.000, 0.0, 0.000, 0.0, 0.0, 6.0, 0.0, 0.0point.5=2, -41.5, 0, 1.30, 800.0, 0, 0.00, 0.0, 0.000, 0.0, 0.000, 0.0, 0.0, 9.0, 0.0, 0.0point.6=2, 13.4, 0, 4.00, 800.0, 0, 0.00, 0.0, 0.000, 0.0, 0.000, 0.0, 0.0, 4.0, 0.0, 0.0static_pitch= 8.1static_cg_height= 6.1gear_system_type = 1tailwheel_lock = 1

OK - I have it working now. I do have the "Tailwheel lock =1 " - but I have setup the CFG to have tailwheel steering via Point.0 as well. The tailwheel works with this - however it is very sensitive and highly steerable. I cant see that the real life Hopward would be this steerable. BTW, I cant find any documentation regarding this Howard tailwheel lock. The Beechcraft is well documented .Barry

Glad you got it working.I didn't ever really find any documentation on the actuation of the tail wheel lock either, I just remembered opening the .cab file and reading it in the tailwheel lock xml file. Read about the real Howard 500 at Milton's site. It says the Howard is an absolute bear to control on the ground. I guess it can get away from you pretty quick (drags the braked wheels without a problem).

>>The Howard 500 tailwheel lock is actuated when pulling back on the >>joystick during taxi.Interesting. Is this modelled in FS?

>>>The Howard 500 tailwheel lock is actuated when pulling back>on the >>>joystick during taxi.>>Interesting. Is this modelled in FS? I'm not sure if you mean is the tailwheel lock a modelled function in FS9 or does the Howard 500's method of activation actually work in FS9?Answer: Yes to both.1. FS9 default Key CommandsGeneral Aircraft CommandsTailwheel lock On/Off = Shift+G2. Milton's Howard 500 has an "invisible" tailwheel lock gauge placed on the panel that is apparently coupled to the elevators. Pull back on the yoke/joystick and the tailwheel straightens out and locks for as long as the yoke/joystick (elevators) is pulled back.