Never ending circles

[staffy]

Hi,
I bought MSFS 2004 and a Logitech Wingman force 3D force feedback joystick last week.My first immpression was that this has to be the most increible simulation that I have ever seen.I joined this forum the next day,but have found it impossible to log on since then until today,I decided to register again was told someone was already using the email address,so I tried to log on again and this is the first time it's worked.I don't know how to navigate yet so have been flying the Australian coastline where I can easily find the airports.I've been setting the elevator trim for about 120Knots and flying hands off and enyoying the views except for heading changes and landings of course.
Today I took off from my home town and immediately noticed that I had to hold the stick over to prevent my left wing from dropping.I climbed to 3,000 ft then set the elevator trim for 120 knots.Took my hands off and the left wing dropped and the aircraft circled with about 15' bank.I've tried different aircraft at different airports with the same result.I've calibrated the stick and found a setting,it's a box for a centering spring that you tick or untick,depending on whether or not the game has a centering force.I've tried it ticked and unticked,it did'nt fix my problem,but the stick feels much heavier with the box ticked.Does anybody know whether it should be on or off for MSFS 2004?
It's strange that everything worked perfectly for a week and then this just happened today.Another strange thing that has just started today is that when I use Create a flight,it now starts off in Pause mode,how do I fix this?Any help would be much appreciated,this is spoiling my weekend.
Thanks Terry

[JimmiG]

In the joystick calibration window, it's possible to test the stick. Does the cross center when you center the stick?

[staffy]

It centres if I carefully place it in the centre,but it does'nt self centre just by letting it go. Terry
PS. the previous post said it circles in a 15 degree bank but this should have said 5. Terry

[baddadnv]

Ok,........So trim the Plane using Rudder and/or aileron trim, to compensate for the left turn..............

You can center all trim tabs on the A/C by using the Right number pad (Num Lock Off) and pressing 5 .

Start fresh with "centered" trims, and see what happens.

Let us know,

Randy Burton

[staffy]

>Ok,........So trim the Plane using Rudder and/or aileron
>trim, to compensate for the left turn..............
>
>You can center all trim tabs on the A/C by using the Right
>number pad (Num Lock Off) and pressing 5 .
>
>Start fresh with "centered" trims, and see what happens.
>
>Let us know,
>
>Randy Burton Thanks Randy,I took numbers lock off,pressed 5,then put numbers lock back on and there was a big improvement, but not as good as it was before the trouble started.I don't really understand it because there would'nt be aileron trim on the Cessna Skylark would there and I always do the elevation trim to set my cruising speed.Do you know if during calibration whether the centering spring box should be ticked or unticked for MSFS2004. Thanks.
PS.If I don't awnser a post any time it's because I have so much trouble logging into this site.9 times out of ten it won't accept my password.

[Mojo2000]

set your web browser to remember passwords for selected websites. You can do this for either or both of the FlightSim.com forum and the download site.

I won't go so far as to suggest that you're suffering a "PBCAM" problem: Problem Between Chair And Monitor. :) Welcome to the forum!


SIGLINE: "Stealth is where it's not." :D

[baddadnv]

>I don't really understand it because there would'nt be aileron trim on the Cessna Skylark would there<


No, but there is a rudder trim, to keep the plane flying straight, Which is where your having the problem......You can cheat if you like, using the Auto Pilot. Once in the air, open the radio stack, and turn on the A/P Main......Then press Ctrl+V (both at the same time). This will turn on the wing leveler. The A/P uses trim to control the A/C, so the rudder trim will be automatically set to keep the A/C flying level. Once it stabilizes, turn off the A/P and you'll have a perfectly level flying A/C........


>Do you know if during calibration whether the centering spring box should be ticked or unticked for MSFS2004. Thanks.<


It shouldn't matter either way. If you fly with the center spring on (I DON'T), then calibrate it with it on......You may want to lower your feed-back forces to low (personal preference).

Randy

EDIT> BTW.......If your having problems with your password, click on the "Home" at the top of the forum screens, then change your password, and select "Automatic Log On" in your personal settings.. You can set it up to where you never have to log on here in the forums.

[someone]

What plane are you flying? Have you edited the loading of the plane? If the load isn't even, for example 200lb pilot in left seat, 120lb pax in right seat, the plane will bank to the left. You have to compensate with aileron trim if you have it, otherwise you have to keep your hands on the stick.

[ponte]

I don't think this is a joystick problem...

If you had you joystick center offset, then the airplane would keep banking left and wouldn't stop at 15 degrees of bank.
My advice is to check the loadout, trim and fuel of your airplane.

[staffy]

The problem that I had is much less pronounced now,what's stange is that it did'nt happen at all until a couple of days ago.I'm new to this andI only have the default planes at this stage and it is happening with all of them. I now think the rudder is the cause,it does'nt seem to centre when I release my twist on the grip.I'm wondering if the rudder is faulty.I hope that I can sort this problem out,because I defenitly want to leard to fly without resorting to the coordinated ailerons and rudder feature.
I got a new password and manage to log on without a hassle now.Thanks to everybody for the help. Terry