If I try to keep the ball centered during a level turn in the Cub, I need to use more and more rudder input because the ball will move further away from the center during the turn, which will make the plane bank more.

I did some research and it is said that the ball in fsx erroneously responds to gravity rather than centrifugal force. And it does look like that.

Is there any way to fix the bug?

Troubleshooting the ball indicator

To resolve the issue with the coordination ball, follow these steps:

1. Check control settings

• Disable autorudder: In your FSX settings, ensure the "autorudder" feature is turned off. This setting automatically tries to keep the aircraft coordinated and can conflict with manual rudder inputs, causing the ball to behave erratically.
• Check for double assignments: Go to the FSX "Controls" menu and ensure that the rudder axis on your joystick or pedals is not also assigned to another function. Conflicting assignments can lead to the "self-centering" or shaking behavior you might be seeing.
• Increase dead zone: If your rudder input is jittery, a slight increase in the "dead zone" for the rudder axis may solve the problem. This prevents small, unintended movements from being registered.
• Calibrate your controller: If you have rudder pedals or a joystick with a twist grip for rudder, use the Windows "Game Controllers" menu to ensure it's properly calibrated. 

2. Reset control configuration

• Reassign controls: Delete the rudder assignment for your controller, save the settings, and then re-enter the game to re-assign it. This can sometimes resolve an input mapping conflict.
• Reset to default: You can reset all of your FSX controls to their default settings. This will clear any unusual configurations that may have been created. 

3. Test the flight dynamics

• Fly a different aircraft: To isolate the problem, try flying a different aircraft in FSX. If the ball indicator works correctly in other planes, the issue is likely specific to the J-3 Cub's flight model.
• Fly the stock J-3 Cub: If you are using an add-on, try flying the default J-3 Cub to see if the problem persists. Some add-ons are known to have different physics engines that can interact uniquely with your control settings. 

4. Adjust your technique

• Practice with a purpose: The J-3 Cub requires active rudder work. Practice coordinated turns by using aileron and rudder simultaneously, applying more rudder in the direction of the turn to keep the ball centered. The J-3 Cub demands smooth, constant correction.
• Look outside the cockpit: A time-tested technique, even for real Cub pilots, is to use your "seat of the pants" or simply look outside the aircraft to feel the direction of the relative airflow. The rudder is the primary tool for keeping the plane's nose pointing where you want it. 

If you are a massive J3 fan, the A2A version is superb with their Accusim physics programmed to deliver an experience as close to flying the real thing as possible.

Apparently J3s rarely had any kind of turn indicator installed and that is the way A2A have created their wonderful model!

It is however a joy to fly in FSX.

Bill

It is a known bug in FSX, but there's no fix for it, besides flying airplanes that have found a way to make the ball behave normally for their airplane like A2A planes, but there's other aircraft devs too that have fixed it for their planes.  For regular users though, there is no fix the problem unfortunately.

Edited November 17, 2025Nov 17 by Zylx

On 11/8/2025 at 8:02 AM, scianoir said:

Apparently J3s rarely had any kind of turn indicator installed

Every Cub I've flown in RL had a ball.

15 hours ago, PhrogPhlyer said:

Every Cub I've flown in RL had a ball.

Although I have flown quite a few GA types in the real world, I have never flown a Cub sadly, so I will bow to your experience and knowledge of the type!

I was actually quoting from the A2A J3 manual:

"There is rarely any kind of turn indicator installed in a Cub. As mentioned before, at most you may find an inclinometer (essentially the “ball” part of a turn and ball instrument) on the panel"

Their J3 does not have the ball modelled and I have to admit that I did find that a little strange!

Bill

I've just recently purchased better quality rudder pedals, and wow, they make it so much easier to do a coordinated turn now that I can actually "feel" how the yaw adjustments I make, affects the airplane.

I find it much easier now to make coordinated turns with aircraft that have an inclinometer which doesn't work accurately (like default FSX aircraft) or aircraft that don't have one at all.  I can do aerobatic maneuvers so much easier now too.  I also have A2A's AccuFeel which really helps make yaw, as well as all other aircraft behavior much easier to feel.

The last pedals I had were the cheap Logitech Pro, and they were complete junk and I hated them.  The rudder axis was so sloppy, that it made doing coordinated turns difficult to do.

Edited November 20, 2025Nov 20 by Zylx

On 11/8/2025 at 7:02 AM, scianoir said:

If you are a massive J3 fan, the A2A version is superb with their Accusim physics programmed to deliver an experience as close to flying the real thing as possible.

Apparently J3s rarely had any kind of turn indicator installed and that is the way A2A have created their wonderful model!

It is however a joy to fly in FSX.

Bill

The A2A Cub really is a joy to fly, and the flight dynamics are far more accurate the the FSX or P3D default Cub which is what I think makes it so much fun to fly.  I'm not a flight physics expert, but the A2A Cub just feels right to me.