Dear All,
I want to love the Asobo ATR42/72 as it is a different aircraft to fly for virtual airlines.
However, the aircraft doesn't love me as I've not succeeded in completing a flight!
I spent the weekend watching YouTube videos about setting up and flying the aircraft. When I tried to fly it, I had many issues including the inability to start one of the engines, getting the number 2 engine into the Hotel mode and then getting the brake to release.
My last flight was terminated due to a WASM crash.
On the brighter side, I've managed to get the autopilot operating, which it didn't do previously.
So, I've parked the aircraft in the hangar for deleted aircraft.
May I just point out that I'm not a newbie as I've been flying aircraft since the FS5.1 days and I just completed a long flight with the Fenix A321 without any issues.
So, if any of you can fly the ATR42/72 without any issues, please let me know how you have achieved this.  I'm clearly doing something wrong!
Best regards,
Peter

What problems are you having with Hotel and the AP? 

54 minutes ago, ATRguy said:

What problems are you having with Hotel and the AP? 

Hi ATRguy,

I find getting the engine into Hotel mode a Hit or Miss event - sometimes it works, but when it does, I can't get it out of the mode!  Also, I couldn't start the engine #1 with engine #2 in Hotel mode.

Concerning the AP, previously I couldn't get to it to engage; however I re-installed the ATR and now it seems to work OK.  I also have a new yoke which may have something to do with it.

Best regards,

Peter

 

6 minutes ago, Peterwk said:

Hi ATRguy,

I find getting the engine into Hotel mode a Hit or Miss event - sometimes it works, but when it does, I can't get it out of the mode!  Also, I couldn't start the engine #1 with engine #2 in Hotel mode.

Concerning the AP, previously I couldn't get to it to engage; however I re-installed the ATR and now it seems to work OK.  I also have a new yoke which may have something to do with it.

Best regards,

Peter

There’s a few things you need to engage/disengage the prop brake.  Blue hydraulic pressure at 3000 psi.  So either engine one running and in AUTO or use the AUX pump.  Gust lock on.  Weight on wheels obviously.  And engine #2 in either cutoff or feather.  
 

That may help.  

35 minutes ago, Peterwk said:

I find getting the engine into Hotel mode a Hit or Miss event - sometimes it works

I am not an expert with the ATR, in fact I have never flown it....

But I was watching a V1 stream yesterday, and I'm fairly sure he said there was a bug with Hotel Mode.

1 hour ago, abennett said:

I am not an expert with the ATR, in fact I have never flown it....

But I was watching a V1 stream yesterday, and I'm fairly sure he said there was a bug with Hotel Mode.

There was but I think it’s been fixed. The majority of issues I see people having are actually procedural - they’re trying to bring it in or out of Hotel without pressurizing the hydraulics. 

A big help for me where the youtube tutorials from Fly with Magnar - he provided a detailed set of tutorials called "ATR 72-600 for MSFS tutorial by ATR instructor". While these are older and some aspects have been updated / fixed, they are still valid. Detailed, step-by-step including system explanations.

Now - that said - I haven't flown the ATR in a long time and maybe a later update messed something up... My problem with the ATR in MSFS2020 is/was its behavior in crosswind conditions. Even with full ailerons and rudder I have problems keeping the plane stable on the ground during take-off and after landing. And this with crosswinds as low as 10kt... The real live limits for the ATR series is much higher. So i basically have to disable live weather. The ATR  is the only plane I have this problem with - so I assume its the plane. That's why I'm not using it anymore...

GG

7 minutes ago, GGLurch_2 said:

A big help for me where the youtube tutorials from Fly with Magnar - he provided a detailed set of tutorials called "ATR 72-600 for MSFS tutorial by ATR instructor". While these are older and some aspects have been updated / fixed, they are still valid. Detailed, step-by-step including system explanations.

Now - that said - I haven't flown the ATR in a long time and maybe a later update messed something up... My problem with the ATR in MSFS2020 is/was its behavior in crosswind conditions. Even with full ailerons and rudder I have problems keeping the plane stable on the ground during take-off and after landing. And this with crosswinds as low as 10kt... The real live limits for the ATR series is much higher. So i basically have to disable live weather. The ATR  is the only plane I have this problem with - so I assume its the plane. That's why I'm not using it anymore...

GG

It never translates to the sim perfectly; but the real ATR is a pig in crosswinds.  The gear is narrow, and there is no nosewheel steering with the rudder.  So in a crosswind, it’s a dance between the rudder pedals and the tiller to keep it straight.  
 

I’ve landed it at near max Xwinds, and it’s unpleasant.  It basically needs full aileron upon touchdown to keep the wings level.  

I have had two freezes recently with the ATR in 2020. Flight continues, scenery passing by, ATC chatting away, but the ATR goes completely unresponsive, both times after less than 30-minutes into flight. 

Edited June 4, 20251 yr by desbean

23 hours ago, GGLurch_2 said:

A big help for me where the youtube tutorials from Fly with Magnar - he provided a detailed set of tutorials called "ATR 72-600 for MSFS tutorial by ATR instructor". While these are older and some aspects have been updated / fixed, they are still valid. Detailed, step-by-step including system explanations.

Now - that said - I haven't flown the ATR in a long time and maybe a later update messed something up... My problem with the ATR in MSFS2020 is/was its behavior in crosswind conditions. Even with full ailerons and rudder I have problems keeping the plane stable on the ground during take-off and after landing. And this with crosswinds as low as 10kt... The real live limits for the ATR series is much higher. So i basically have to disable live weather. The ATR  is the only plane I have this problem with - so I assume its the plane. That's why I'm not using it anymore...

GG

I'll check them out. Many thanks for the suggestion.

As an aside with the 2024 version, anyone found a FedEx livery? V1 had one on stream but couldn't remember where he got it from.

20 hours ago, desbean said:

I have had two freezes recently with the ATR in 2020. Flight continues, scenery passing by, ATC chatting away, but the ATR goes completely unresponsive, both times after less than 30-minutes into flight. 

That's a WASM crash. I've had the same problem.

The ATR was pretty buggy when I first tried it, but now it's one of my favorites. My startup procedure is...

1. GPU connected and external power on.

2. Pressurize hydraulics using button on pedestal. Once you do the the prop brake "ready" light should illuminate.

3. Unguard prop brake switch and flip to on. Guard switch.

4. Make sure your engine start knob is set to Start A or Start B and NOT Crank. This one had me going for a while 'til I realized what I was doing.

5. For pushback pressurize hydraulics again even though engine two is running. Unguard and turn off prop brake. Start engine 1.

This works for me very reliably. As for the autopilot, I've not had a problem with getting it to turn on, so I can't help you with that. Many autopilots will disconnect if there is more than a little pressure on the control yoke, so try to get into a stable flight situation before engaging it.

One problem I found with the ATR that still exists is the autopilot not holding the glideslope on approach. I've seen a bunch of other posts that mention this. The fix that works for me is to disengage the autopilot at the first sign the glideslope indicator is climbing above the mark, raise the nose and add power to re-center the glideslope indicator, and reengage the autopilot. I've found that when I do this the autopilot will lock onto the glideslope and no hold it until I disengage it.

 

@Sidney Schwartz,

thank you for posting this, which I will try to follow!

I haven't yet pushed the ATR72 into my FS 2024, and I no longer use FS 2020, but I will ASAP, and will try to revisit this really nice/promising model and follow your procedure, and will report back (only next week) how it went 😁

👍

Here’s how we do it in real life at my airline, since we pushback at my base.  
 

We come to the airplane with a GPU attached to it, and it’s almost 100% of the time cold and dark.  Power it on, I go do the walk around, the FO sets up the flight deck.  After I’m done outside, we finish programming the FMS, get a clearance, all that, etc… the usual preflight routine.  
 

I would turn the prop brake on as part of my pre-start flow.  So AUX PUMP to pressurize the blue hydraulic system, and that should give you the ready light with the gust lock on.  Prop brake to ON, and it shouldn’t take more than 15 seconds for the UNLOCK light to go out.  If it does, it’s broken, so call MX. 

 

 Before we disconnect the GPU, the tow bar is hooked up and the truck is ready.  I’d start engine #2 in Hotel Mode.  Then start engine one.  Disconnect the GPU.  With the prop brake on, it’s safer to approach the GPU since the prop isn’t spinning.  Of course, never actually go near it or into the prop arc, but it’s still safer without the blades spinning.  
 

Brakes off, push back, keep one in feather and the prop brake on.  
 

After the push is complete, the ground crew would disconnect the tow bar, and I’d bring engine one out of feather once they’re clear, and push the AUX PUMP again.  The six blade props take a while to unfeather, so pushing the button brings the hydraulics up quicker.  When engine one stabilizes, that powers the AC Wild system, so the hydraulics are pressurized and the prop brake can be released.  Signal to the ground crew “starting two” because the prop will start spinning when you go prop brake off.  15 seconds later, bring that prop to AUTO and then your after start flows and checklist.  
 

At a ground station without a GPU or pushback, we usually start it in Hotel anyways just so the aircraft is powered when passengers are boarding, especially in the winter when the sun doesn’t come up.  
 

When it’s freezing out in the winter, #2 usually stays running all day long if we’re not at a base with a heat cart and GPU.  We would never shut it down when its -40 outside, just the prop brake when the aircraft is at a station. 
 

IF for whatever reason the prop brake was MEL’d, I’d start number one, then disconnect the GPU, then start number two after the ground crew is all clear.

Edited June 6, 20251 yr by ATRguy