Weathervane effect strong?

[OneRobertOne]

@willisxdc

Nope.
I would agree if you said rudder effectiveness is not what it should be. 5kt x-wind is 30% of the 172’s max demonstrated. Maximum x-wind component is when rudder authority is incapable of maintaining directional control. Rudder effectiveness in the sim is reduced to the point that without proper aileron input directional control can be difficult. This is not a wind or “weathervane” issue. This is a problem with control surface modelling.

To simulate control pressure increasing with airflow Asobo chose to reduce control surface travel. The result is unrealistic control input is required to achieve the desired result. Same reason accelerated stalls are very difficult to perform. Just not enough control surface travel when under load.

Do not underestimate the importance of aileron drag when controlling an aircraft on the ground.

I don’t doubt anything you are saying, you are far more knowledgeable than me. But I still want to flush this out as I’m not in complete understanding and therefore maybe agreement. Have you ever required left rudder on takeoff roll in a light crosswind in a 172 in real life? For me the answer is no.

Why would “lack of rudder effectiveness” in game translate to the need for left rudder to counter weathervane in a light right crosswind?

What I’m saying is, in a 172 in the game, with a light right crosswind on takeoff roll, if you let the aircraft roll on it’s own with no control surface input, the aircraft will veer right. Wouldn’t the reason for this be an exaggerated weathervane effect modelled? Shouldn’t the aircraft still veer left due to Torque, Asymmetric thrust, slipstream…etc? The light right crosswind wouldn’t be enough to completely negate all of these. To be clear, how is this a “lack of rudder effectiveness” issue since I haven’t given it any rudder in this scenario?