-8 Weird Landing Gear behavior...on startup...

[1290SASRider 26]

So the first time I loaded the -8 it was at the default location (Eglin) and it loaded normally.  I shifted its location to the cargo ramp at Huntsville (using the commercial add-on scenery) and it immediately crashed.  Looking at the outside view the gear was retracted!  I overrode crash detection, loaded it at KHSV again, shifted to an exterior view and watched as the gear extended, slewed it out into the middle of the ramp far from any other objects and only then was able to restore crash detection without having the sim immediately crash.  Bizarre...

So I just completed a KMIA - SBKP flight and after finishing the shutdown checklist, leaving it on external power and switching to an exterior view, saved it as is for the next leg.  Now when I load that scenario I watch with fascination as the landing gear extends!  It doesn't trigger a crash as before but it is still puzzling.

Am I the only one experiencing this?

Otherwise may I complement PMDG at the complexity, accuracy and smoothness of this simulation.  Those who were critical of the cost to purchase it have no idea how much value this returns for the money spent.  Kudos!

Edited November 2, 2018 by 1290SASRider

[downscc 1,327]

It is normal for the gear to be retracted and extend during the aircraft initialization.  It is normal too to keep that crash detection turned off.... it is more of a nuisance than something realistic.

What KHSV do you have?  Mine is from the Orbx FTX North America free airport package, and I had to clean it up using ADE to create the modern cargo ramp and correct taxi layout.  I could have saved a day of work had I known there was a good one available.

[1290SASRider 26]

3 minutes ago, downscc said:

It is normal for the gear to be retracted and extend during the aircraft initialization.  It is normal too to keep that crash detection turned off.... it is more of a nuisance than something realistic.

What KHSV do you have?  Mine is from the Orbx FTX North America free airport package, and I had to clean it up using ADE to create the modern cargo ramp and correct taxi layout.  I could have saved a day of work had I known there was a good one available.

Hmm...not to doubt you but I have not had the need to shut off crash detection ever other than in that particular situation, and have not noticed any other aircraft model behaving in that manner.  YMMV...

I'm using Fsxcenery's KHSV add-on.  It doesn't show as being P3Dv4 compatible but I was able to add it in and it behaves normally and is superior to the default scenery.  I used to be HSV based while I was in the right seat of the 747.  And I'm glad to help them support their animal shelter...

[rsrandazzo 6,353]

David,

We use a fully customized animation process for the landing gear.  It is how we are able to give you fully independent, articulated landing gear that responds to the pitch/roll of the airplane during takeoff and touchodnw.  Additionally, the custom animation allows for independent simulation of the alternate gear extension process, and it's impact on things like landing gear doors.

When the sim first launches, it initially reports that the gear are retracted- then switches to immediately extended.  It takes the gear some time to catch up, because as you know the gear on a 747 won't simply slam from closed to open in 1/18th of a second (which is how quickly FS extends the gear during this transition.)

On the crash detection:  I generally recommend leaving it off.  There are so many issues related to terrain mesh/scenery/invisible vertices that can ruin your day- it hardly seems worth the effort to have it on when flying an airliner.  Now if you were flying a helo sim....   That would be a whole other story- and you wouldn't have to worry about the gear animation either.  🤣

 

[Captain Kevin 586]

On 11/2/2018 at 6:39 PM, 1290SASRider said:

Hmm...not to doubt you but I have not had the need to shut off crash detection ever other than in that particular situation, and have not noticed any other aircraft model behaving in that manner.

I'd just turn it off anyway. Last thing you want to do is fly a long flight only to crash into an invisible wall on short final. No, I am not kidding about that. Some add-on sceneries do that for reasons I will never know.

[1290SASRider 26]

15 hours ago, rsrandazzo said:

David,

We use a fully customized animation process for the landing gear.  It is how we are able to give you fully independent, articulated landing gear that responds to the pitch/roll of the airplane during takeoff and touchdown.  Additionally, the custom animation allows for independent simulation of the alternate gear extension process, and it's impact on things like landing gear doors.

When the sim first launches, it initially reports that the gear are retracted- then switches to immediately extended.  It takes the gear some time to catch up, because as you know the gear on a 747 won't simply slam from closed to open in 1/18th of a second (which is how quickly FS extends the gear during this transition.)

On the crash detection:  I generally recommend leaving it off.  There are so many issues related to terrain mesh/scenery/invisible vertices that can ruin your day- it hardly seems worth the effort to have it on when flying an airliner.  Now if you were flying a helo sim....   That would be a whole other story- and you wouldn't have to worry about the gear animation either.  🤣

 

I did not consider that, Robert.  It comes into focus though why it crashes in some locations and not in others on startup is still puzzling.  Turning off crash detection does sound like a good idea for the reasons you and Kevin allude to.
 

 

14 hours ago, Captain Kevin said:

I'd just turn it off anyway. Last thing you want to do is fly a long flight only to crash into an invisible wall on short final. No, I am not kidding about that. Some add-on sceneries do that for reasons I will never know.

Yes, I have had that happen with add-on sceneries as well.  So it shall be then!