Milviz Porter - Binding the condition lever

[Dominique_K 10,152]

The Milviz Porter is a truly excellent simcraft - a favorite of mine - except for one thing that I find frustrating.

The Condition Lever does not take advantage of the new CL functionalities that Asobo introduced in a SU some time ago. It is still a lever linked to the mixture functionality instead of being a discrete three-step switch with a protection (the red thingie) for the cutoff step.

Frustrating because it is easy to cut off when you bring it back to Low Idle in flight after TO and during the landing roll.

After searching a zillion of combinations for my Warthog HOTAS throttle, mostly with the slider, I tried today to use the 22/23 flip-flop switch to the left of the quadrant and, hallelujah, it simulates well the Condition Lever as a two-step switch like that :  

- The 22 button is assigned to “set mixture rich” and moves the lever to High Idle giving me 67.9% RPM instead of 70% which is a little low but it seems that comes from the engine modelization.

- The 23 is assigned to “Decrease mixture (slow)” and moves the lever to LI without going below the read gate (and cutting off the fuel). It gives 52% which is correct.

I can use muscle memory to shift to LI without the danger to cut off.

The only inconvenience that I can live with, is that the cutoff has to be done manually with the mouse but this is not an issue as it is done when the aircraft is generally at standstill. Except for a relight in flight...

This is of course a band-aid and I hope that a new version will bring a true CL to this great bird sometime in the future.

For the record, extract from the Pilatus official manual .

IDLE CONTROL
The Idle Control is a three-position control lever combining two distinct functions. It provides high and low idle settings of the gas generator at speeds of approx. 70% and 52% respectively, and fuel cut- off. The positions are defined as follows: HIGH IDLE - full forward; LOW IDLE - mid-stop, and CUT- OFF - full aft. The engine fuel cut-off position is obtained by lifting the IDLE CONTROL lever, pressing the red locking device against its spring and pulling the IDLE CONTROL lever fully aft. Low idle is obtained by lifting and pushing the control forward to the mid-stop position. The high idle position is obtained by lifting and pushing the control fully forward.

[sniper31 651]

Nice find and 'fix' Dominque. I will have to try this out on my Warthog HOTAS 😉 

[Dominique_K 10,152]

13 minutes ago, sniper31 said:

Nice find and 'fix' Dominque. I will have to try this out on my Warthog HOTAS 😉 

Interested by your comments.   I've just done a beta approach and landing, it works nicely on my WH anyway. I suppose the couple "Set mixture rich”/"Decrease mixture (slow)" should work with other controllers.