Hi folks, 

a couple of days ago I managed my second transatlantic flight KLM601 EGPK/PIK to CYQX/YQX -- this time without mid-air tankering! 

I planned the flight with a 1000BHP setting and fuel bias of P10.0. (Details below)

During cruise I tried my best to hit the 1000BHP values for 8000ft RPM 1870, BMEP 151, 439LBS/h, 194 IAS, 224 TAS, gross weigth 90k. 

I noted  BMEP/MP/RPM/FuelFlow/GS:    

    IBROD  150    3.3"    2000    480 450 500 480   198

    SUNOT 150    3.3"    2100    440-500                 210

In essence: The fuel flow was much lower in comparison to my first flight to Gander with 600lbs/h (see my earlier notes in the threads why-engine-health-indicators-wear-and-tear and cruise-speed-on-long-distance-flights). However, even with planning on 1000BHP, adding P10.0 bias, and filling up to max fuel (574lbs) I had 1864lbs in my tanks arriving in Gander. Why? Well... 

Eventually the flight time was 9h18m, but SIMbrief had calculated 8h14m. This extra hour's 2000lbs plus 1864lbs equals roughly 3800lbs, which is close to the SIMbrief calculated EFOB 3.5 at YQX. 

So, could I set the power precisely? The power levers mainly adjust BMEP (ignoring here mixture controls), the propeller pitch lever adjusts the RPM. 

Here my question: Does the main propeller pitch lever allows truly only the FSX provide notches? 

The AFE smoothly slides the lever back back (for cruise setting) as if there were no notches. 

Due to the (FSX provided?) notches we can set RPM only in three viable settings. (Worth a ticket to PMDG?) 

Thanks, 

Andre(as)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ATC C/S KLM6FI  EGPK/PIK  CYQX/YQX      CRZ SYS 1000BHP
11AUG2017 PHDFI 2335/2355 0809/0814     GND DIST 1871
DC-6 / R2800-CB16     STA 0830          AIR DIST 2016
CTOT:....                               G/C DIST 1838
                                        AVG WIND 273/018
MAXIMUM TOW 102800 LAW 80000 ZFW 83200  AVG W/C M018
ESTIMATED TOW 88330 LAW 72078 ZFW 68598 AVG ISA P001
                                        AVG FF LBS/HR 1970
                                        FUEL BIAS P010.0

PLANNED FUEL
---------------------------------
FUEL               ARPT FUEL TIME
---------------------------------
TRIP               YQX 16252 0814
CONT 3%                  488 0013
ALTN YYT                1318 0033
FINRES                  1100 0030
---------------------------------
MINIMUM T/OFF FUEL     19158 0931
---------------------------------
EXTRA                    574 0015
---------------------------------
T/OFF FUEL             19732 0946
TAXI PIK                 200 0020
---------------------------------
BLOCK FUEL PIK         19932

EGPK/30 TRN1K TRN N562 MAC DCT 5608N DCT IBROD DCT SUNOT DCT 5720N DCT 5725N DCT 5730N DCT 5635N DCT 5540N DCT 5345N DCT 5150N DCT BUDAR DCT YQX DCT CYQX/31

Just to make sure I am following. You mean the propeller lever only changes on increments and not as an axis? If yes how do you control it? Through FSUIPC with an axis? with the mouse?

I have never seen this behavior, on my machine it works fluently, so I am wondering if there is something interfering with yours.

1 hour ago, Olympic260 said:

You mean the propeller lever only changes on increments and not as an axis?

Yes, left and right mouse clicks move the lever forward/backward in chunks so that in cruise flight there are only 3-4 positions, which don't let the BMEP or RMP increase too much. 

 

1 hour ago, Olympic260 said:

If yes how do you control it?

Mouse.

1 hour ago, Olympic260 said:

Through FSUIPC with an axis?

Nope. 

 

1 hour ago, Olympic260 said:

on my machine it works fluently

How? Mouse clicks? If not, could you try this as well? Thanks. 

21 minutes ago, 19AB67 said:

1 hour ago, Olympic260 said:

on my machine it works fluently

How?

Just found the CTRL-F3/F2 in the DC-6 introduction. 

Will try those, however the mouse clicks on the lever should also work precisely, should they not? 

 

54 minutes ago, 19AB67 said:

Yes, left and right mouse clicks move the lever forward/backward in chunks so that in cruise flight there are only 3-4 positions, which don't let the BMEP or RMP increase too much. 

 

Mouse.

Nope. 

 

How? Mouse clicks? If not, could you try this as well? Thanks. 

I am using a lever on my yoke to control it. I did just now tested with the mouse and indeed I am seeing the same as you. However keeping left mouse key pressed and the mouse hand on the lever with the mouse wheel I can reduce/increase the propeller lever smoothly

One really should plan to have a controller that has a variable slider or lever that you assign to the prop axis.  I don't think I'd even try adjusting prop pitch with something binary like a mouse click or key press, changing RPM is just too dynamic and requires a slow change then adjustments.

The mouse wheel works with the propeller pitch. (also in many or most aircraft)

I use FSUIPC and have mapped propeller pitch increase and decrease to controller buttons (using the repeat checkbox) and it works fine, with practice.

[I think the actual command is prop pitch increase/decrease small. I don't have it in front of me to check.]

 

Ticket opened, passed to dev team. 

On 18/08/2017 at 7:50 PM, RichieFly said:

The mouse wheel works with the propeller pitch. (also in many or most aircraft)

Richard, 

thanks for the hint, can't check it now, but sounds actually also acceptable.

On 18/08/2017 at 7:09 PM, downscc said:

One really should plan to have a controller that has a variable slider or lever that you assign to the prop axis. 

Hi Dan, yes, this I will do on top.