ELEVATOR CONTROL, FS9 not as good as FS 2002!!

[roytc]

I posted this same topic in JAN 2004, and wonder if opinions have changed.
I now have a really up market PC, powerful, fast, and with a great graphics card (XT 850 PE)
I do however get very frustrated with what I consider to be inferior elevater control, noticeable mainly when flying from the line astern point of view position.
Carrying out landings on FS2002 was a real joy, with realistic smooth control.
Not so with FS9 though. It seems OK from inside the cockpit/flightdeck, but not from out side in the astern position.
I wonder if there is a better Flight Controller, I use the Logitech FREEDOM 2.4 CORDLESS.
I have tried every slider combination, but there doesn't really seem to be very much difference
I really don't consider that it should be necessary to mess about with config files, and I would not know what to do anyway.
Can anyone suggest whether or not I can do something to improve the situation please.
I may be getting old now, at 73, but I did a lot of flying (20,000 hours plus), on many types over a 42 year period, and I would like to die happy !! Thanks, roytc.

[lnuss]

MS did change the flight model some from FS2002 to FS2004, and FS2002 aircraft don't handle as well in FS2004.

For your perceived problem with the elevator, you might try editing the aircraft.cfg file for each aircraft with the problem. Using Notepad works fine, though you may have to tell Windows what to use for a .cfg file.

In the section of the file named:
{flight_tuning}
with square brackets rather than the curly braces I've shown, there are parameters for the various flight controls that you can change.

This section on one of my aircraft looks like this:

{flight_tuning}
cruise_lift_scalar = 1.0
parasite_drag_scalar = 1.0
induced_drag_scalar = 1.0
pitch_stability = 1.0
roll_stability = 1.0
yaw_stability = 1.0
elevator_effectiveness = 1.0
aileron_effectiveness = 1.0
rudder_effectiveness = 1.0
elevator_trim_effectiveness = 1.0
aileron_trim_effectiveness = 1.0
rudder_trim_effectiveness = 1.0

You can change the 1.0 value to increase or decrease the effectiveness of each field, such that 0.5 cuts the effectiveness in half and 2.0 doubles it.

More can be done, but it gets complex and takes a lot of trial and error. You'd need a .air file editor such as AirEd and a tremendous amount of patience and experimenting.

[napamule2]

I am a veteran of 2k2 and don't recall if there was that much difference in the two sims. I must go back to refresh my memory, just to make sure. I myself am 65 yrs old.

Half of my landings are from 'astern' position (called 'spot view' in FS9) and maybe I have the answer. In FS9 you need to set the zoom to 1x in order to land from spot view. If you have 0.50, or 2.50, you get too much distortion. Simular to looking down the road with binoculars, and trying to drive. Can't be done-don't even try it.

So WHILE IN SPOT VIEW (Shft+S), go 'View/View Options' and set values to '1x' zoom, 77 to 99 distance, and 'zero' for elevation ('height'). You can then use 'Shft+Enter' or 'Shft+Backspace' for 'height' adjustment, as needed. I use one 'Shft+Enter'for take-off, and two 'Shft+Enter's for taxi (so I can see more of the center line).

Oh, ck to see that 'Gradual Transition' in NOT checked. That way you will be 'locked' directly behind AC. To retain these settings, you must save a flight. Otherwise you will have to do this each time you start FS9 (no matter which AC you load at startup). I know-it sucks!

And now, the advice you did not get back 2004. YOU MUST USE THE PITCH TRIM TO TRIM OUT YOUR AC ON APPROACH. Using ONLY the elevator will not 'establish' a good attitude, and essentially you are either climbing, or diving, but not 'flying'. Same for take offs. Use trim pitch (numpad 1 (up) and 7 (down)). I use between 10 and 18 'up' pitch trim for takeoff, and from level flight, I will use 10-18 and later ANOTHER 10-18 pitch 'up' to keep nose up for landing. Works good as you shall see. In FS9 you MUST fly the trim, if you know what that means (which I suspect you do). Hope this solves 'it' for you.

Glad to hear you still enjoy this hobby. Gives me hope for continuing to stay 'active' (the brain, anyway) with simming until I too am 70 +. 90? Post back if this was 'it'. I am alomst 99% sure it is. Cheers.
Chuck

[Trev]

Yes I agree with above. You need to use alot more trim in FS9 for T/O and landings than you did in FS 2002. I'm only 55. Have done a bit of real world flying to for pleasure. Flight Simming since 1985.

Trevor :)

[ladamson]

>Yes I agree with above. You need to use alot more trim in FS9
>for T/O and landings than you did in FS 2002. I'm only 55.
>Have done a bit of real world flying to for pleasure. Flight
>Simming since 1985.
>
I use a hat switch on my Saitek X45 joystick which basically imitates electric trim. I really don't notice a difference, since different planes have different trim rates anyway; and the fact that I'm not looking at a numeric keyboard to relate to numbers.

Ladamson --- only 54 :D

[lnuss]

I use a rotary wheel axis (the one under my left thumb) on my X-36 (earlier version of the X-45), and never have to think about it -- as automatic for me as it is in a real aircraft.

[napamule2]

Frank,
I started using Bob Chicilo's F-15 panel (f15panel.zip) and like it so much, I decided to 'improve' it. I added AutoTrim (autotri2.zip), combined with Digital Trim (hg_trim_dig2-with reset) and now as long as I am in 2D panel view, the trim is AUTOMATIC by just moving the stick (follows the elevator). I also, don't even think about it. Maybe someday I will upload it. It solves a lot of 'trim' issues. And I use it with props, turbo, and even jets (not helicopters, though). With this setup Roy can land the 747's and 380's with ONE hand! Ha! (But for 'astern' view landing-ONLY if you set zoom to 1x !!!).
Chuck
You can have 'auto-trim' in ALL views, by 'installing' it as a seperate window. Start it, then slide sides down to postage stamp size, and leave it top right (out of the way). But that is overkill.