I can't seem to stray straight on my takeoff roll today in the e-jets 195.  Admittedly there is a pretty bad crosswind but I don't think that is it.

- I am at Lubbock on runway 17, the wind is 270@25 knots. So it is blowing hard from right to left (from the perspective of the pilot sitting in the aircraft).  I have my aircraft setup for takeoff ready to rock.  I begin my takeoff roll and at about 40 knots I start to lose steering control (as expected according to the AOM)  The aircraft immediately drifts to the right and rolls off the runway.  It drifts RIGHT, INTO the wind not away from it (this is why I think it may NOT be the wind).  No matter how much left rudder input I give it swerves right, off the runway.

Things I've checked: Autopilot is disconnected, Trims are neutral (slight up trim on elevator)  Heading bug is set for RWY heading (but AP is off so it shouldn't matter), and joystick (X52) is calibrated.

Is 25 knot crosswind too much for this aircraft?

I hope this is the right place to post this, if not please let me know and/or move it.

Oh, it's dumb question time!  Is the right engine running?  You might be surprised!  I was, the first time this happened to me on a non-payware jet.

I'm 98% sure it was.  The EICAS indicated it was, and the TO/CONFIG did not alert me.  

 

However, I just tried the exact flight again but I turned off Active Sky Next and cleared all weather.  It flew just fine. 

 

Maybe it really was just too dang windy, but even with that high wind it seems unrealistic this aircraft would be SO uncontrollable.  I mean the real aircraft of similar size were flying today (according to flight aware). 

 

Is this aircraft unrealistically sensitive to wind? 

12 hours ago, lowew79 said:

So it is blowing hard from right to left (from the perspective of the pilot sitting in the aircraft).  I have my aircraft setup for takeoff ready to rock.  I begin my takeoff roll and at about 40 knots I start to lose steering control (as expected according to the AOM)  The aircraft immediately drifts to the right and rolls off the runway.  It drifts RIGHT, INTO the wind not away from it (this is why I think it may NOT be the wind).  

This is normal behavior for the plane to veer into the direction of the wind. I know if goes against conventional wisdom as most non real pilots would expect the aircraft to be blow or veer the direction that the wind is blowing, but it doesn’t work like that with aircraft.

Here’s an article that explains why the aircraft veers into the direction that the wind is blowing and how to counter it.

https://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/Cross_Wind_Takeoff_Hazards_and_Techniques#Pilot_Technique

4 hours ago, cmpbellsjc said:

This is normal behavior for the plane to veer into the direction of the wind. I know if goes against conventional wisdom as most non real pilots would expect the aircraft to be blow or veer the direction that the wind is blowing, but it doesn’t work like that with aircraft.

Here’s an article that explains why the aircraft veers into the direction that the wind is blowing and how to counter it.

https://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/Cross_Wind_Takeoff_Hazards_and_Techniques#Pilot_Technique

This weathervaning effect is noticeable in light GA acft, but not really in a transport-category jet (at least not IRL).

I'd set up the weather the same and see if it happens again...I'd guess it's more likely something like a dragging brake or calibration issue on the rudder axis.  If it happens consistently, then the FDE is borked, because that's not realistic behavior for an airliner.

Regards

 

This excessive weathervaning effect is built in to FSX, because Microsoft seemed to think all aircraft should behave like a Cessna 172.  As Bob Scott indicated, this does not happen in real world aircraft of E195 size, to anything like the extent portrayed in FSX, although a 25 kt crosswind will certainly be noticed.

Unfortunately the effect has been carried over to P3D, which I use, with the FeelThere E195, in a home cockpit.  The E Jets flight dynamics were programmed by Alex Koshterek who was regarded as an expert, and the dynamics are generally in line with my own (distant) memories of multi jets. But this basic problem was created by MS.

While it's not possible to reduce the weathervaning, you can improve your rudder effectiveness in the aircraft config.  This is under sim objects/airplanes/feelthere PIC E195. Open the config with notepad and scroll down to Flight Tuning. You should have a line showing rudder effectiveness = 1        Try changing this to 1.5 or even 2.0. The change only affects this aircraft and it's easy to experiment until you achieve improved control. You will still need more rudder, and for a more sustained time than in real life, but you should at least be able to stay on the runway. For comparison, I use 1.5 currently, but even then, and with high quality rudder pedals, I still feel as though I am chasing the aircraft rather than guiding it.

jbee.

 

 

10 hours ago, w6kd said:

This weathervaning effect is noticeable in light GA acft, but not really in a transport-category jet (at least not IRL).

Yeah, I should have been more specific meaning GA. However in FSX, this effect seems to be more prevalent than in should be on larger aircraft as well. 

1 hour ago, cmpbellsjc said:

Yeah, I should have been more specific meaning GA. However in FSX, this effect seems to be more prevalent than in should be on larger aircraft as well. 

And P-factor, too, which is a real non-issue in jets IRL, but MSFS/P3D really overdoes that, too.

Cheers

 

Thanks all.  I've just never seen (in my flight sim experience) a rudder input seem to make no difference at all lol.  As I said I tried the takeoff again with the winds at zero and it worked fine.  So your explanations seem to be dead on.  I will try the rudder fix and see how it works.  

 

Thanks again!

I had this issue with the ERJ175 as well. Easy fix. Go to Configuration Utility (same thing you use to load passengers and such) and under Preferences there is an option to limit nosewheel steering above 40 knots. Uncheck that and that's it.