Q: could you please describe that ? “twitchy” ?
With default GA aircraft the take off roll is much too sensitive to rudder pedal movement, despite adjustments to the “in game” sensitivity curves. In my other sim, the X plane 11 take off roll is fine, it’s definitely an MSFS 2020 problem, an issue reported by many simmers out there.
1 Like
I agree. There a ww2 flight sim I fly regularly that I never once needed to adjust the joystick sensitivity. It worked day1 right out of the box.
1 Like
Let’s hope so. Taken to flying 747s to avoid lurching all over the runway after touchdown.
1 Like
This isn’t the thread for it, but there is a ton of info and help for configuring peripherals. It will depend what you have, but a good driver like SPAD next will solve nearly any issue.
The twitchiness of the aircraft on landing is annoying, but hardly a show stopper and a fix is on the way. Also made worse I should add by the live weather consistently making the wind too strong (it seems to treat real world gusts as the base speed and then add some in SIM gusts on top of that. Can make for some very interesting landings!
Fortunately this issue is also in the pipeline for improvement and we can look forward to our GA aircraft not snaking around on the ground like demonic possessed things when the wind is blowing.
1 Like
I didn’t see anything in the patch notes. Did I miss it somehow?
Probably not, as they may not have addressed it yet. Things have got missed from patch notes before though, but I doubt it will be touched.
Are you still having issues staying lined up on takeoff?
After @hobanagerik stepped up to the challenge and posted a video, I haven’t seen too many comments related to the initial concern. I was curious if you managed to get the lack of control squared away.
I will accede that they have some serious issues to work out with some of the taildraggers. I have a fair amount of RW experience in the Pitts and I cannot safely get it into the air in the sim since the last adjustment. That said I fly with an old Sidewinder twist stick and have made NO adjustments to the sensitivities since day one, and am quite glad Hobanagerik did a video for you. Saved me the trouble. I cannot find any significant fault with the ground handling during takeoff with any of the nose wheel aircraft. If I had to pick something, it would be the friction model, rudder effectiveness and the transition between air and ground physics.
Without engaging in a wind discussion, (even in real life the wind is what it is. Whether it is right or not, it is the pilot’s control inputs that determine what the plane does. Deal with it.), weathervaning, p-factor, gyroscopic precession, even slopes on the runway, are always conspiring to send an aircraft careening off into the parking lot. Planes are not meant to be driven. From the moment we release the brakes to the moment we pull the mix, it is our responsibility to fly the plane. Even when it is on the ground.
Do we need some improvements? YES. Rudder effectiveness across the board is far too weak. Once the aircraft is rolling, it really should not take very long before we have positive directional control even if we don’t have a nose wheel. IRL, I can lift the tail on a S/Cub and rotate almost in place, using just propwash. Yet I have a difficult time keeping the tail in trail with wide open throttle in the sim.
Try “one wheeling” any aircraft in the sim. It is nearly impossible. It is almost like there is a switch that says, if a wheel is on the ground the plane is no longer flying, it is on the ground. There should be no difference in the physics. Just because one wing can no longer descend because it’s wheel is on the ground does not mean the plane is no longer a plane.
I guess my point is that, while I agree that there are some unrealistic aspects to the ground handling, I would not use “drastically”. Is it possible to track the centerline on takeoff? YES. (except taildraggers in some cases). Is it possible to safely land on the centerline and track it while decelerating? YES.
You being a real pilot should realize that one of the greatest control surfaces we have in real life is no longer available to us in the sim. The “seat of the pants” is what allows for control inputs before they are needed. Once centrifugal force is allowed to accelerate we are doomed and only our butts can tell us when that is about to happen. You have to find a new sense in the sim to replace that. It is only possible thru subtle visual cues. Focus, concentrate and hone that.
1 Like
I saw the video, it was a headwind, almost dead on the nose. I want to see a taildragger with any cross wind. Can’t be done. I apologize but I should have clarified tail wheel.
And to be honest, he didn’t exactly track centerline, close but not quite. I respect your opinion but I don’t think you’ve done a very good job proving your point. Try the Xcub, 5 kt (mild) crosswind, and hold centerline just like you can in real life. I await your video with bated breath haha.
edit: BTW, I haven’t tried since I posted the topic Sept 4. I’m assuming nothing has changed but forgive me if it’s been addressed.
2nd edit: I agree with your post, very good comments.
1 Like
I think I was pretty clear that there are issues with taildraggers…
I would like to see that video replicated in real life. Any instructor would be happy to check mark any of those T/O or landings. If the sim is as bad as some insist then @hobanagerik must be an exceptional pilot to have accomplished what he did in the video.
I proved my point quite nicely. With some practice it is quite possible to overcome the lack of “butt input”.
1 Like
Well I’ve seen some of your other posts on the forum and you strike me as as someone that has some wisdom. I’m certainly not going to debate with you as I’m sure that wouldn’t end well for me haha.
Still, don’t be afraid to post a video 
(XCub, >5kt crosswind, centerline all the way).
I don’t think I was exaggerating with “drastically” but I agree that perhaps I could have omitted the word and still been able to express my point properly.
1 Like
Most assuredly not. 
Yes, one thing I often do is leave the rudder in after touchdown, and really need to reduce it a little, which tends to cause me to overcompensate a bit, but I’m getting better. 
If you look at my last landing the wind was coming directly from the right, pretty much side on. The others were from roughly my 10 o’clock I think.
2 Likes
Modesty. Not a trait often exhibited in this forum…
2 Likes
I tried to take off in the Pitts acrobatic plane yesterday for the first time. This is after ~60 hours of flying other GA and airliners in the sim and taking off regularly.
It looked like I was in a Benny Hill video. I was ALL OVER the airfield, in the grass, crossing taxi ways, taking out ground crew, turning on one wheel. So I’m hoping it’s not all my fault!
For some weird reason I get similar issues with the Baron. No other nosewheel aircraft, just the Baron for some reason has a mind of its own and I end up in bad yaw-PIO on the ground. Something about the rudder and/or nosewheel steering response is not right.
If this is on takeoff, have you tried trimming up a bit more, or applying more back pressure on the yoke to take the weight off the nose wheel?
Mainly takeoff yeah. Haven’t tried that method, that seems entirely unintuitive… But if it works as a workaround…
There is definitely something else going on in your case. The Pitts is a mess, no doubt about it, but the Baron is nearly spot on for ground handling.
Let’s look at a few things.
- What are you using for a controller?
- Confirm you have flight model set to Modern
- Have you flown any other light twins?
That’s not unintuitive. At higher speeds, with too much nose down trim, the aircraft can start to wheelbarrow, which makes directional control pretty difficult.
CH Pro Pedals, they are a little iffy but do not cause any such problems on other aircraft. Yeah definitely modern flight model, DA62 did not cause any such problems.
But good to know it is on my end, then I know it is worth troubleshooting so that is really helpful.