Defaul A320 - Laggy input, unresponsive

[MrRocketShooZ]

Hi all,

Been using FSX for a while now, flying mostly GA aircraft and the default 737. I never have any troubles with the 737 or other aircraft.

The A320 however is giving me grief. There's a huge delay between controller input and response, which isn't present on any other aircraft I've flown in FSX. I'm finding this very annoying especially at landings where I'll attempt to make a small adjustment and end up pulling the stick way too far because the aircraft doesn't respond quickly. This is with autopilot off.

Is this normal? Do I have something set incorrectly?

Thanks!

[simonevans]

How would we know? You don't supply any information of relevance to enable us to help...

There is a poor iteration of auto-flare in the default A320 but until you eliminate all other possible causes how can you find out?

[Anubis]

I think you should discriminate between a control problem (which could be due to different things) and the fact an airliner may be less responsive, especially in a landing configuration, loaded with fuel, slow on speed.

When you land, is your aircraft within MLW (Max Landing Weight) or not? Check the specs of your aircraft and dump fuel before landing if needed.

What's your speed? And flaps setting? Are you approaching at the right speed? If you do not have better info, simply open its aircraft.cfg file, look for "stall speed with full flaps", take note of that number and multiply it by 1.5, that's your approach speed -very, very roughly speaking- which you should try to keep following the glidescope.

Check those and then come back, maybe you are simply not approaching the runaway in the best conditions.

Paolo

[zon756]

you mean the A321 correct?

if so, its made that way to have a delay to show how well they have modeled the Fly-By-Wire system in the Airbus...unrealistic but you can turn it off in the overhead panel, i think on the upper right side.

or it could be what Paolo said.

cheers,

[MrRocketShooZ]

you mean the A321 correct?

if so, its made that way to have a delay to show how well they have modeled the Fly-By-Wire system in the Airbus...unrealistic but you can turn it off in the overhead panel, i think on the upper right side.

or it could be what Paolo said.

cheers,

Thanks, that fixed it! Is there a time when those switches would typically be left on?

[napamule2]

When FSX first came out we all got a taste of what 'FBW' was like in FSX. We tried to do a 'Roll' and we found out it was impossible to do with the A321. There was some forum chatter on that subject (as you can imagine). Don't know about 'default' state of switches, but I suppose it would be 'ON' by default (on loading).
Chuck B
Napamule

[MrRocketShooZ]

When FSX first came out we all got a taste of what 'FBW' was like in FSX. We tried to do a 'Roll' and we found out it was impossible to do with the A321. There was some forum chatter on that subject (as you can imagine). Don't know about 'default' state of switches, but I suppose it would be 'ON' by default (on loading).
Chuck B
Napamule

Hi Chuck,

Sorry what I meant was is there some specific circumstance under which the switches should be engaged? Mine are indeed on by default. Just wondering what the feature is actually for.

[Paul Golding]

The ELAC buttons on the OH shouldn't be turned off under normal circumstances.........ever.

If you don't want to try and fly a FBW airliner, use the 737. Turning the ELAC's off is basically going back to a manual flight model that requires manual trimming etc.

That said, the default Airbus flight model is pretty nasty though.

[Awwsky]

Have to agree with Paul!! The flight model is nasty and inaccurate to a point. The real FBW system is very responsive and quick, however the computers will not let a pilot do something the plane isn't suppose to do. I'm not sure how that's modeled in FSX for the Airbus so I really couldn't say. I will say this though, the flight control computers will limit the amount of input you give them when landing due to the close proxemity to the ground and slower speeds. If you are close to stall, the computers will take some control away from the pilot in an attempt to keep the aircraft from stalling. If your nose is high and near stall, the computer will command the nose to come down to maintain speed or gain speed. Also, the EEC's (Engine Electronic Control Computers) will not rapidly apply power no matter how fast you throw the throttles to full power and if you are at an idle setting, expect the spool up to be even slower then what you want or need (this prevents pilot induced compressor stalls).

Oh, and as far as I'm aware, if you shut down the flight control computers (ELAC in this case) you effectively shut down the system and guess what??? You end up with no flight controls at all. There is no backup for a true FBW system (as it is a triple or more redunancy system) which means you can put every input into the control stick you want, you just want get any response from the controls. And a true FBW system has no artifical feel, just the feeling you get in the seat of your pants kind of stuff, but nothing from the side stick controler. SOOOO, with that said, learn what the airbus can and can't do within FSX so you can fly it and enjoy it the best you can.

[freddy]

You have to always remember that the default Airbus is NOT a Boeing.

I have no problems flying the default Airbus. I am not a real pilot and have never flown a real airbus, so I have no idea of what it would actually be like to do so in real life. Therefore, I "accept" that what I get in FSX is pretty much what it might be like to fly the real deal. The idea is to learn to fly the aircraft (any aircraft) based on its own unique characteristics. That would certainly be the case in real life, and it follows that it should also apply in the sim. Whether the Airbus flight model in the sim is 100% correct or not is irrelevent to me. I treat each aircraft on its own merits, as I would in real life. So, I fly the default Airbus accordingly ... on its own merits ... and I get used to the flight characteristics that it presents to me and fly it accordingly.

The idea with any aircraft (whether it be simulated or real) is to stay ahead of the airplane. If you do that, you should have little or no trouble flying and controlling the aircraft. Any aircraft. With the default Airbus in FSX, it comes across as being a little sluggish. OK. No problem. If it is like that in real life, then so be it. If it isn't, then so be it. If you accept that it how it is and you stay ahead of the aircraft, then it doesn't present a problem. Plan ahead and perform your control inputs accordingly. Be pre-prepared for your turns and altitude changes and then provide appropriate control inputs that achieve the desired result.

Remember that it is a fly-by-wire aircraft, so you provide a control input to set your desired change and the aircraft will trim itself for that change and then you leave it to perform the task. It will continue to do so until you command something else of it. For example, to climb, pull (or tap) on the side stick until you get to your desired pitch angle and then relax on the controls ... let the plane do the rest. It will trim itself for that pitch angle and will climb. When you're ready to level off, push (or tap) on the side stick until your pitch angle is zero and then relax on the controls ... let the plane re-trim itself for level flight, and you're done. It is not a Boeing.

I personally find the default Airbus quite a good aircraft to fly. Whether it be realistic or not, I don't care. I understand its characteristics, I know what it is going to do, I plan ahead accordingly, and, as a result, it performs what I ask of it. I have no problems with it. In fact, I find it quite fun to fly.