Flying with rudder pedals (how do you properly turn)

Hello, I'm new here but not new to flight simulators. I could fly circles around all of you in FS4 with nothing more than a mechanical keyboard :-P Now it seems I can't even fly in a circle... :-(

 

I recently purchased a Saitek yoke, throttle, and rudder pedals to use with FSX. I've been flying the stock C172 and I can happily taxi around on the ground quite well with the rudder pedals. Once I'm in the air it's a whole different story.

 

Most of the time I can just turn the yoke and get a turn to happen but it's definitely not "coordinated" as indicated by the ball on the TC Guage. I try the turn by stating with rudder, ending with rudder, applying them in sync with one another, etc. A lot of the times I can start the turn and get it to bank at the proper 30°. Then I try to return to level flight and it seems like the plane is all over the place. As soon as I take the rudder back to center it wobbles around.

 

What am I doing wrong? Could someone please describe exactly how to make a proper turn when using both a yoke and rudder pedals (for example flying level, making a 90° heading change, then returning to level flight)? I've searched the Internet high and low and there's lots on how to set up rudder pedals and nothing on how to actually fly with them.

 

Thanks,

Phil

You can read this article in the Real Aviation Tutorials & FAQs towards the bottom of the main forum menu (there are a number of helpful articles there). But depending on which FS aircraft you're using, it may not behave the way real aircraft do -- all too many FS flight models don't behave properly in yaw.

Hi Phil,

 

In order to get good piloting skill you must be aware of basic physics rules and the different forces applied on the craft during flight movements. I advice you visiting euroskytech.com.

For your rudder problem : When turning the stick the plane bents on a side and begin to change direction but in the meantime a force makes his nose slide the wrong direction creating a yaw and the nose gets also heavy down. You have to correct the balance by pulling the stick to rise the nose and press the rudder opposite side of turning to avoid the plane sliding and yawing (check the bubble that must keep as centered as possible).

 

Hope you'll master this soon, best regards

 

Eric

..What am I doing wrong? Could someone please describe exactly how to make a proper turn when using both a yoke and rudder pedals..

 

People talk about it fairly often in the FSX forum so your best bet is to ask there.

This is the Outer Marker forum which is only for...well to be honest I don't know what it's for..:)

Meantime remember your PRIMARY turn controls are your AILERONS, just bank and pull back the stick and THEN throw in a touch of rudder if you like.

Also tickbox your Autorudder OFF because it links the ailerons and rudder together and can cause confusion. Most real planes don't use autorudder so neither should we.

There is an adage taught to me many moons ago, when I was learning: Step on the Ball.

It means that if, when you start banking for a turn, the ball in the Turn Coordinator starts to slide off-center, press the rudder on that side until the ball is centered. Basically, if the ball moves left, use the left rudder to re-center it and hold it there.

Also, make sure you are pushing the pedals straight forward and not just stepping on the tops. All that does is actuate the brakes.

As mentioned, not all planes turn "properly" IE: In a realistic manner, it's the best advice I've found to maintain "coordniated flight".

Additionally, not all planes NEED rudder input during a turn. The F-14 and FA-18 are one example. The design of the aircraft's body, rudders, etc make the plane turn in a coordinated fashion with no rudder input. They are called "feet-on-the-floor" aircraft, meaning you don't NEED rudder input, you could fly with your feet on the floor, not the rudder pedals. They DON'T mind you, as the rudders are used in certain circumstances and for certain maneuvers, and for the ejection seat to work correctly, and not rip the legs off the pilot during an ejection, their feet need to be on the rudder pedals to start. But these are rather specialized aircraft...

Pat☺

Thank you for all the suggestions. After reading the replies I think it's clear where I really need help is more with leveling out after the turn vs getting into one. I've made many attempts at a coordinated turn by turning into a bank then holding the rudder to center the ball. Once I get to my new desired heading that's when things go awry. I can't quite figure out how much rudder to give coming back out of a turn. It seems if I basically do the opposite of what I did to get into the turn it works itself out. Then I return the rudder pedals back to center and it wobbles all over the place and gets all out of whack.

It seems if I basically do the opposite of what I did to get into the turn it works itself out. Then I return the rudder pedals back to center and it wobbles all over the place and gets all out of whack.

 

Generally aileron and rudder move together. So on the rollout from a turn, as you've discovered, aileron and rudder together, but they also need to move together, smoothly, as you near wings level, with ailerons and rudder centering together. This, of course, is ideal, but few aircraft are ideal, especially sim models, so you have to experiment a bit to find what works for a particular model. But it seems you have the right idea.

 

Often, though not always, the "wobbles all over the place and gets all out of whack" comes from being a bit too abrupt on the rudder, or perhaps multiple twitches of the aileron (with the "adverse yaw" they induce) can cause it. Of course a very good flight model wouldn't do that, but all too many, especially of the default aircraft, are not all that good.

..I've made many attempts at a coordinated turn by turning into a bank then holding the rudder to center the ball..

 

Alternatively say to yourself like I do- "I don't need no steenkin ball" and fly just by the seat of your pants and eyeballs and horizon alone, it's great fun..:)