PC-12 pulling to the left - why?

[Ray Proudfoot 8,930]

I've installed the Caranado PC-12 into P3D v3.4 and tried a couple of flights and both have exhibited the same problem. The aircraft keeps pulling to the left and if left uncorrected will eventually end up in a 30° bank. This seems totally unrealistic for a payware aircraft. I've disabled the P3D controls and everything is calibrated via FSUIPC.

My other aircraft is FSL Concorde - quite a different beast - and this has none of the problems when hand flying. That would appear to vindicate my Saitek yoke and FSUIPC calibration so what could be the problem? Do I need to adjust the realism sliders - currently all set to max?

I'm hoping there's a simple solution to this. Whilst I'm only an armchair pilot I did have one flying lesson 5 years ago in a Piper Tomahawk and that exhibited no tendency to deviate away from a straight line. So why is the PC-12 so bad?

[FDEdev 955]

14 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

So why is the PC-12 so bad?

It isn't bad, it's realistic ;) Every prop driven plane (with a CW turning prop) turns/banks to the left, e.g. due to torque. Even the FSX default planes.

The real PA38 as well, but it's not very pronounced.   The PA38 has 112hp and the PC-12 1200hp which means quite a bit more torque (and a much bigger prop) on the PC-12. 

Realism sliders at max is correct. (Joystick sensitivity should be at max as well) 

[Ray Proudfoot 8,930]

1 minute ago, J35OE said:

It isn't bad. Every prop driven plane (with a CW turningprop) turns/banks to the left. Even the FSX default planes.

The real PA38 as well, but it's not very pronounced.   The PA38 has 112hp and the PC-12 1200hp which means quite a bit more torque and a much bigger prop on the PC-12. 

So does this mean there has to be a continuous correction by the pilot when hand flying? Or is it standard procedure to engage the a/p once airborne. Pretty much like flying jets then?

Can this be adjusted out by changing the realism settings and if so which ones? It doesn't make flying particularly enjoyable I have to say.

[vc10man 732]

3 minutes ago, J35OE said:

Every prop driven plane (with a CW turning prop) turns/banks to the left.

Yeah, I remember this being the case with the Warriorsim P-51 Mustang and the same with the A2A version.

[FDEdev 955]

6 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

So does this mean there has to be a continuous correction by the pilot when hand flying?

You have to use rudder trim to keep her straight and from banking. That's all. The faster you fly, the less rudder trim you need.

Btw also in jets I don't use the AP 'once airborne'.  Many jetpilots like to climb without AP up to 10000ft IRL.

 

 

[Ray Proudfoot 8,930]

7 minutes ago, J35OE said:

You have to use rudder trim. That's all. The faster you fly, the less rudder trim you need.

Thanks. Do you mean applying slight right rudder or using actual rudder trim? Does the PC-12 have a rudder trim facility? I can't find one. Or can I assign rudder trim to a couple of buttons via FSUIPC?

[Ray Proudfoot 8,930]

11 minutes ago, vc10man said:

Yeah, I remember this being the case with the Warriorsim P-51 Mustang and the same with the A2A version.

And there was me thinking it was just a poor flight model with the default aircraft!

[vc10man 732]

Off topic, Ray. As the resident NW Concorde ace, can I get my FSX boxed and subsequently updated via FSL Concorde X working in P3Dv4.1?

 

[FDEdev 955]

8 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

Do you mean applying slight right rudder or using actual rudder trim? Does the PC-12 have a rudder trim facility? I can't find one. Or can I assign rudder trim to a couple of buttons via FSUIPC?

Use rudder trim, no rudder. The PC-12 does have rudder trim (exactly for this reason) It's on the center pedestal AFAIR.

Suggest to assign e.g. a joystick button for the standard FSX rudder trim command as you basically need it for every power/speed change.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,930]

2 minutes ago, vc10man said:

Off topic, Ray. As the resident NW Concorde ace, can I get my FSX boxed and subsequently updated via FSL Concorde X working in P3Dv4.1?

 

FSL Concorde is currently not compatible with P3D v4. They haven't started looking at it yet. A320 took priority. Works great in P3D v3.x if you have that version.

[vc10man 732]

1 minute ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

FSL Concorde is currently not compatible with P3D v4. They haven't started looking at it yet. A320 took priority. Works great in P3D v3.x if you have that version.

Thanks for that, Ray. Regrettably do not not have P3Dv3. Have a licence for it but moved on since to v4..

Patience is a virtue, so if I have waited for a heap of others, am sure can wait for it to be updated to v4.1

[Ray Proudfoot 8,930]

7 minutes ago, J35OE said:

Use rudder trim, no rudder. The PC-12 does have rudder trim (exactly for this reason) It's on the center pedestal AFAIR.

Suggest to assign e.g. a joystick button for the standard FSX rudder trim command as you basically need it for every power/speed change.

I'm struggling to find the control. There's a pair of switches on the centre console with a transparent cover. Click it to lift the cover but it goes down after 2 seconds. It has three states - Intr, Trim and Norm. Is that it and if so how do you manage rudder trim?

For now I've assigned Rudder Left Trim and Rudder Right Trim to two Saitek buttons via FSUIPC. I'll see how I get on with those.

[scottb613 1,188]

Hi Ray,

I've flown that plane a bunch - and - I don't recall anything unusual with the banking - just how severe are we talking - very gentle tendency - or white knuckled pressure on the yoke ?

There was a big massive improvement package for this aircraft as well - more realistic turbine performance - not sure if it was ever upgraded for v4... Bert would know...

If only I could paint these birds but they exceed my patience...

Regards,

Scott

[Ray Proudfoot 8,930]

3 minutes ago, scottb613 said:

Hi Ray,

I've flown that plane a bunch - and - I don't recall anything unusual with the banking - just how severe are we talking - very gentle tendency - or white knuckled pressure on the yoke ?

There was a big massive improvement package for this aircraft as well - not sure if it was ever upgraded for v4... Bert would know...

Regards,

Scott

Hi Scott,

It's probably because it's my first foray into GA aircraft. I'm not fighting to keep the aircraft level but if left unattended it will eventually turn into a 30° bank.

I'm now controlling rudder trim via two buttons and monitoring the values via FSUIPC offset 0C04 and each click makes a change of 164 for each button press. One click for right rudder has helped a lot.

For the record I'm running P3D v3.4.

[scottb613 1,188]

Hi Ray,

Yeah - low wings tend to be not as stable as high wings - let go of the controls in a Cessna and eventually the plane will right itself and fly level without any input from the pilot - low wings not so much...

Glad you're enjoying your new plane now...

Regards,

Scott