The default Asobo C172 is becoming difficult to hand-fly due to its rolling behavior. Right now, if I level out and trim up the aircraft at, say, 3000’, and let go of the yoke, the plane will enter into an immediate left bank which progressively gets steeper unless I move the yoke back over. I’ve eliminated hardware as causing the issue since it happens with my friend’s Alpha yoke or his Logitech Extreme 3d joystick on his computer, or on my computer with a different Logitech Extreme 3d joystick.
Taking a cue from the thread on adverse yaw, I opened the flight_model.cfg file and tried tweaking some of the parameters in the Tuning section, but ultimately while those changes did make a difference in the flying characteristics, they didn’t do anything to fix the roll issue. I also have tried the legacy flight model (which uses different parameters) with no luck, and tried both the new realistic turbulence and low turbulence with the clear skies weather preset. Always the same result (at one point I had the 172 holding an 80 degree bank while hands off the joystick - that was fun LOL)
While I don’t want to resort to tweaking the CFG files to get the plane flyable it’s the only thing I can think of. So the question is - can anyone tell me what parameters I should start tweaking? I’m not an aircraft designer for the sim so while I know what the terms mean in a general sense, I don’t know what the real effects are. If I want to artificially cancel this rolling tendency, are there any specific parameters to target?
Thanks in advance!
Mark
A C172 or any other single-engine prop plane will eventually roll to the left due to left-turning tendencies (not adverse yaw, which only has to do with roll rate and use of aileron).
Some planes have rudder trim that can help with this, but it’s tuned for a specific angle of attack of the tail/rudder, thus a fairly narrow airspeed band, and it’s rarely perfect. The trim tab on a 172 is fixed (actually bent to shape), whereas the rudder can be trimmed in flight on a Cherokee or its variants.
Instantaneous wind changes or turbulence can also affect stability and under certain circumstances, including the stability (or lack thereof) inherent to the aircraft can actually cause spiral divergence in which it basically starts a roll and continues to roll and drop the nose, eventually entering a spiral. Late recovery can exceed aircraft limitations or cause ground contact.
So the short answer is that this is fairly typical behavior.
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You can counter it with aileron trim. Bind those to a spare left and right rocker if you have (or any other keys / buttons) and tune it out a bit during flight.
Works in the WB-Sim version so I think it should be the same. You’re never going to be totally hands free though but you can definitely calm it down that way.
C172 doesn’t have aileron trim irl, it has a semi-fixed, ground-adjustable tab on the rudder. So if that’s implemented in the sim, it’s a workaround.
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Yea I think it’s just available on all aircraft even if they don’t have those controls in real life. Up to you if you want to be strict on yourself for realism’s sake 
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Also, check to make sure your fuel is feeding from both tanks fairly evenly!
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I’ve flown the 172 in real life many times and this doesn’t happen in the real airplane. left turning tendencies should only be felt during take off while the airplane is slow. Once at cruise speed inertia should be taking care of this… which is not the case in the sim ofc 
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Anyone find a fix to this? I don’t want to have to unrealistically apply aileron trim considering it doesn’t exist in the real airplane. I have 250 hrs in a 172, and it most certainly doesn’t just enter an uncontrolled bank to the left like it does in the sim.
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I have yet to find one, @Jakenben123. You can reduce the effect by turning turbulence down and flying at an altitude greater than 5000, but it’s always there. I’ve simply resorted by not hand-flying the plane once I’ve turned on course but just letting the AP do it’s thing. I’ll take over when I get to the destination and need to maneuver to land. The flight model is very good in most respects but this is one area where it falls short.
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Check your weight distribution in the weight and balance menu. If you don’t have anyone on the right sit put someone there. I remember having this problem with an aircraft (can’t recall which one) and this helped.
I think the Freedom Fox did that.
The only solution that has worked for me is adding more weight to the copilot seat to compensate. Still looking for another way to fix
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