Hi all!
In case you missed it, a new NOSE WHEEL STEERING AXIS, is now to be found in the control panel… and i’m thoroughly enjoying it!
Only tested it in the Cessna Citation until now, but by GOLLY, does this make a difference. Love it!
This is the “Tiller control” that many have been aching for, for so long. Yes, it’s finally here!
Mind you, the Rudder still activates the Nose wheel, as upon landing a tricky airplane you are still going to be able to transition between working those rudders hard and once you’ve slowed down enough, take your feet off your pedals and gently turn the airplane with the tiller handle.
I’ve got a nice round axis-knob on my G940 joystick (bottom right) so as soon as joystick inputs are no longer nescessary, my hand slides to the axis and guides the airplane to it’s parking position. It is just and awsome feeling, and somehow so much more accurate than what my feet can achieve upon taxiing. As you slow down to a crawl, you get more steering angle, but still need to pump the brakes and add a bit of power if you actually want to do a 90 degree turn.
You might want to put in a bit of Deadzone in the sensitivities and, word of warning, you might want to add “neutralize PWS axis” to your pre landing checklist, as i guess if you leave it on full left or full right, you might actually head off the runway or make a wingstrike if you activate it outside the deadzone.
Lining up with the runway, making sure your nosewheel is straight, is also a nice added challenge. I for one, am loving it.
I hope you guys and girls out there enjoy this feature as much as i do.
And, just to st(r)ay off topic, the little Cessna 152 has it’s domelight turned off now, so no more red dashboard… it wasn’t mentioned as fixed in the releasenotes as far as i’m aware. (just a minor fix, but we can give this little bird some loving again.)
Have an awsome Flight… and taxi to and from the runway,
Woof ~ Woof & Salute!
Steiny