Newbie drifting

[gullsrock]

Sorry a newbie question.

 

I'm getting on really well in the little Cessna 152 in Microsoft 2020. Flow across the English Channel without any issues accept that my plane drifts off course. Is there a way to control this or do I have to constantly adjust the stick. I am confident sorting the trims for level flying but what do I need to control horizontal direction against wind and drift. My rudder input seems to be a violent adjustment. Is it something to do with the ailerons?

 

I have a Thrustmeter Warthog. The vertical trim is set on the vertical POV adjustment. However on the left and right POV both the rudder yaw and aileron trim adjustments are set for the same control.

 

Thanks

Edited December 11, 2020 by gullsrock

[lnuss]

Is there a way to control this or do I have to constantly adjust the stick. I am confident sorting the trims for level flying but what do I need to control horizontal direction against wind and drift.

 

Drifting can be caused by several things. Wind is the first thing that comes to mind, but even a very slight bank angle can do that too, perhaps not noticing the bank or unbalanced fuel between the two tanks (though I think the C152 just has on/off), which can be corrected in a loading menu. A light touch of rudder (or rudder trim which a real C152 doesn't have) will generate a little bit of yaw, which in turn can induce a touch of bank, too.

 

However if your heading isn't changing when drifting off course, the odds are that wind drift is your problem and you'll need to make a bit of a heading change into the wind to correct for that drift. If the heading IS changing then it's probably one of the above mentioned control problems.

 

And yes, occasional corrections are needed if you're not using autopilot, more than occasional if there's turbulence, changing power settings or changing attitude..

 

My rudder input seems to be a violent adjustment.

I don't know a lot about that new sim, but if you are getting that kind of reaction on the rudder, then you need to calibrate it or maybe just to give a light nudge on the rudder control or perhaps change what you are using for rudder control -- it needs quite a range of action from just barely nudged to applying a considerable amount (maybe even full rudder), depending on the conditions you encounter and what you are trying to do.

 

I use some CH pedals for rudder, and have never tried to use anything on the stick or throttle on my Warthog for rudder, but you need to get into the programming and get rid of dual assignments -- perhaps that's your rudder problem, I don't know -- deciding which specific control you want to use for rudder. But be sure that it's either an analog axis control or alternating button controls that generate a very small increment each time you touch them -- an analog axis is MUCH better for rudder control, though.

 

Always keep in mind that bank angle is what turns the airplane, assuming coordinated flight (that is, the ball is centered). Perhaps if you go to down to the Real Aviation Tutorials & FAQs section of the forum, under Basic Aircraft Control, Maneuvers, and such and try some of the exercises suggested there to perhaps gain a bit different perspective on how controls work and the proper use of them in flight (BTW, straight and level is the most difficult of the 4 basic maneuvers, in real life as well as in the sim), then you might identify your problem.

 

After you've explored the above comments/suggestions, perhaps you'd come back and let us know what you find out.