I just bought the Kodiak 100 during the anniversary sale. I’m on the Xbox platform. I’m not a newcomer to Flightsim or the world of advanced aircraft having started back in the FS9 days. Most of the study-level aircraft I’ve flown have been systems heavy and jet based such as the MD11 or the 73/74.
I don’t have much experience with advanced GA aircraft like this and boy am I struggling. I was hoping someone would be kind enough to answer a few questions.
-My main issue is that I feel like I’m losing all roll authority during the final approach of phase and I can’t figure out why. 65 knots at full flaps maybe a little slower and it’s impossible to turn the aircraft left or right.
I thought maybe I was just too slow but the assists window shows a landing speed of around 45 knots, I have absolutely no idea how that’s possible as I’m stalling the aircraft well before that or at the very least losing all roll authority.
Is it normal that the aircraft is incredibly slow to respond to roll inputs or just doesn’t respond at all at that phase of flight at that speed? I’m only at about 50% fuel and the default weight as I haven’t messed with weights yet as I just bought the aircraft.
The second issue is that the AP will sometimes blow through an altitude in VS mode and then pitch up to try and correct it, usually this is during a descent. I’ll be at 4k set alt to 2K, VS on at -1000ft/min and the aircraft will sometimes randomly shoot through that altitude and then try and correct.
-the aircraft is extremely twitchy, I’m sure this is partly due to the fact I’m using an Xbox controller but I have my sensitivity turned exceptionally lower than default and even have sensitivity assist on, is the real aircraft this twitchy?
And finally if anyone has any advice for using this aircraft in general or advice that pertains to control settings for Xbox I’d be incredibly grateful to hear all of it.
I’m trying not to feel like I’ve wasted my money and I never thought I was THAT bad of a pilot, I’m just discouragingly struggling a lot with this aircraft.
Try and stay above 75 on aproach, as for the twitchyness, i raised this many times and so have others. Even on my X55 with 20% curve it is not a pleasant experience.
I cannot even imagine how twitchy that would be on an xbox controller.
What’s the average approach/touchdown speed in this aircraft then? I’m assuming the stated 45knots in the assists window is way way too slow.
I’m sure they list the speeds in the manual, I guess I should do a Google Search and try and find a copy.
Also, do you ever notice any odd behavior with the AP missing altitudes? Maybe it had something to do with my going so slow assuming 65 knots is just too slow which is sounds like.
According to the product description the Kodiak stalls at 47 kts with full flaps, so 45 kts approach speed is probably impossible. I only had one landing with it so far, and I had no real problems controlling it with around 75-80 kts of approach speed. It really doesn’t matter unless you land at a truly short runway. I would definitely recommend keeping a higher speed on approach.
The autopilot issue you mentioned is interesting, because the exact same thing happened to me, only in the Douglas DC-3. The problematic altitude was also 2,000 ft for me, the AP went way under it, and tried to save itself from around 1,000 ft, at which point I had to intervene. I’m not sure which aircraft uses what kind of AP system but it feels like something’s going on in the sim since the latest update.
Yep, 80-85 kts with full flaps for normal landings according to the POH. I too find the Kodiak very hard to handle at lower landing speeds. It’s definitely been a learning curve for me and at first I wasn’t too happy with it, but it’s grown on me and I quite like it now. The Kodiak, I think, is heaps better than the default Caravan. So much more character and depth.
I bought this at the weekend. I’m quite inexperienced, just 152, 172 and 208 for the most part as I learned the basics.
I too found it very twitchy at low speeds coming in to land. I ended up just flying circuit after circuit at my home airport, practicing takeoffs and landings, finding the right speed. I find that when you’re not in AP, it needs a lot of attention - constant, small corrections of rudder, power and trim. When you get it right though, you feel you have accomplished something, but should it really be this twitchy?
There’s a hell of a lot of info here on the forum about the handling, but seeing as there’s been a few updates, I’m not sure how much is still relevant. I’ll stick with it though, the devs seem to be responsive and I’m sure the problems originate from trying to create an accurate replica of the aircraft data within a ‘compromised’ flight model.
I have experienced your problem with VS mode intermittently, but not with the Kodiak yet, possibly a NXi glitch?
I have been flying Flight Simulator for about 25 years. My latest setup uses a Turtle Beach yoke and the Xbox series X. With an excellent internet connection, Flight Simulator 2020 performs quite well, and all of the other aircraft that I fly (piston and turboprop) are quite stable. However the Kodiak 100 has consistent stability issues.
I think I have at least 300 landings in the Kodiak, did 7 in Barth and 5 on Saba 12 today. I always find myself in roughly the same configuration. I can tell you crossing the road if I’m going to make the taxiway or over shoot it by 20’, like a robot.
I approach at 2nd flaps/ 72-74KT IAS @<60% payload/ 15-17% positive trim and about 1/3 power with the prop about 20% off of full rpm(I will have to check RPM). It is a good stable final approach with crosswinds/strong winds/or nothing(you’re still flying there) and is happy locked into that. You can dump to full flaps and cut throttle based on the type of field very quickly from there. Usual winds up to ~12-15KT.
For Barth you ride the hill and try flare directly to the runway, cross the top of the hill at 65kt and nail the flare for good contact (with friendly wind) you will make the taxiway, if you have to settle into ground effect or sort out crosswind adjustments you will roll past it by 20-100’(if you follow the exact real world path down the hill), for bush flying you hold the flare to settle on the mains as per normal, for 12 Saba you go full flap can carry a wee bit of power to basically fly onto the runway at 60-62KT with enough room to stop(same on any of the aircraft carriers). It won’t quite match real world twotter landings or even the PC12 which seems to slow faster than this aircraft is capable of. It’s STOL, but it’s not a Shock Ultra. At half payload seems to need about the same amount room as a ~3/4 loaded Islander(which doesn’t have reverse thrust). You won’t make the taxiway on 10 at max gross weight either.
I was flying circuits at AYYW the other night, seeing if I could match the MBP approach and numbers. Bang on every time (except torque)
I examined the stability issue closely as well and the problem being reported was not to do with the FM. I found the question interesting enough to do a couple of videos on it.
