Warthog Joystick

[gullsrock]

I am having problems keeping a course heading using the Warthog joystick. I have now downloaded there analysis tool and also recalibrated it in windows. The joystick seems to operate correctly and returns to the central readings. However when I use it in Flightsim2020 the aircraft will fly straight for a given time then when I turn and straighten the plane it will then drift off course. I have cancelled all wind settings in the game. The only way I can straighten the plane enough to be able to let go of the joystick is to adjust the ailerons. Can anyone help please.

[tiger1962]

Try switching off Gyro Drift in the settings.

[sfojimbo]

Are you using autopilot?

You can't expect a plane to track any given heading without auto pilot.

 

This doesn't sound like a bug.

[lnuss]

As jimbo says, you can't expect an aircraft to hold a heading (or wings level) for any length of time, not even (or especially) not a real aircraft -- sims tend to be a tad more stable than real aircraft, though. And you don't mention what you're using for rudder, which can also affect the aircraft behavior. The Warthog is an excellent stick, and thanks to Hall effect sensors) is mostly not prone to many of the instabilities found in many other FS control systems, so it's not the fault of the Warthog. I love mine.

 

So if you need a constant heading without manual corrections you'll need to engage the autopilot. This is the same kind of experience you'd have in a real aircraft.

[gullsrock]

Many thanks and I appreciate your replies. I have auto rudder engaged. I can follow a heading for quite a few minutes with only say a slow 1 or 2 degree drift which I understand would be expected. However from this stable heading if I turned say a few degrees left when I try to straighten the aircraft rolls quite quickly to the right and will not settle on a stable heading

[marcroussy]

This might be unrelated but I've been having some issues with my Thrustmaster lately where there is a jitter to the x axis of the stick. It doesn't happen all the time, but it can throw me off course at the most inopportune time. Open the calibration software and leave it open a while and look for any jitter in the x/y axis. That might be the root of your problems.

[gullsrock]

Also Is it expected that the aircraft will gradually drift to say the right and then if uncorrected will start to roll more and more? Do I correct this with aileron trim. Rudder trim doesn't seam to make much difference. Thnx

[gullsrock]

Could this be a trait of prop planes as the problem is nowhere near as bad with a jet?

[tiger1962]

Could this be a trait of prop planes as the problem is nowhere near as bad with a jet?

 

Yes it could be torque effect caused by the spinning prop. As Larry advised, when manually flying a prop plane you need to apply some rudder and/or aileron to counter the torque effect plus any crosswind drift.

[gullsrock]

Thanks. Silly question I know but would this also apply to a twin prop or do their propellers rotate in opposite directions to counter any torque?

[tiger1962]

Some have contra-rotating props but not all, and some have prop sync which reduces the effect greatly.

 

Sent from my KFDOWI using Tapatalk

[lnuss]

you need to apply some rudder and/or aileron to counter the torque effect plus any crosswind drift.

Just to clarify this statement, crosswind drift only needs a non-coordinated correction (slip) when trying to fly low near the ground, such as takeoff or landing -- otherwise you want normal coordinated flight and will use a heading change to correct for drift, keeping the ball centered.

 

Silly question I know but would this also apply to a twin prop or do their propellers rotate in opposite directions to counter any torque?

 

Not so silly, and in fact is a very logical question. A very few twins have counter rotating props (Piper Seneca, P-38, Wright Flyer, some other Piper twins) but most have props rotating both in the same direction, so there is some torque and P-effect, though the behavior is slightly different (not drastically so).

[lnuss]

and some have prop sync which reduces the effect greatly.

In my experience, prop sync doesn't have much effect on torque/P-effect, but it does sync up the prop RPM thus eliminating pulsating harmonics that are very annoying. You can do the same thing by making tiny adjustments in the prop control until those harmonics are gone, thus manually syncing the props, which is good since many twins don't have the auto prop sync.

 

Once in a while there'll be a twin going over my house with the props out of sync, and it still annoys me even though it's several thousand feet or more away.

[gullsrock]

Thanks everyone. I will play around with a few aircrafts. At the moment I am using the Beachcroft Baron. Its one of those things which is frustrating not knowing whether its my inexperience at fault or a calibration problem. If I knew the equipment was fine then I'm happy to deal with my learning 'curve'....

[mallcott]

Thanks. Silly question I know but would this also apply to a twin prop or do their propellers rotate in opposite directions to counter any torque?

 

Some do. Many don't.

[gullsrock]

I think I may have found the problem. For some reason the aileron on the Beechcraft was set at -0.5 from the start. I probably did this at some point and I think it has been introducing the gradual roll. Now that I have zeroed the ailerons I am only experiencing slight drift which I assume is natural.

[lnuss]

Glad you fixed the problem, and thanks for letting us know the solution.

[gullsrock]

Also a problem using the Warthog the aileron adjustment is only in 0.5 increments so there is no way of correcting a 0.1 reading unless you do it in the cockpit but now I realise...

[gullsrock]

Just wanted to confirm my problem was indeed that the ailerons were set at 0.1 Been using it for a while now and no problems except for a small drift that I am assuming is normal. Thanks for your help and comments.

[daspinall]

I've noticed flying the TBM it drifts off course on auto pilot, the 747 not so much but drifts of course on ILS landings, although it does allow me to input corrections with the stick.... I'm flying keyboard with MS Xbox controller. I'm tempted to buy the Warthog thanks to this forum......... Edited December 30, 2020 by daspinall

[lnuss]

I'm tempted to buy the Warthog thanks to this forum.........

I've been running mine now for a number of years, and it just keeps chugging along just like new -- love it. I also use CH Pro pedals, but someday may look into the PFCs since they'll probably be more usable the way real aircraft pedals are.

[gullsrock]

I've noticed flying the TBM it drifts off course on auto pilot, the 747 not so much but drifts of course on ILS landings, although it does allow me to input corrections with the stick.... I'm flying keyboard with MS Xbox controller. I'm tempted to buy the Warthog thanks to this forum.........

 

When I first downloaded FS I only had key board controls. Even though I have an excellent quality gaming keyboard flying using keys is not user friendly. The Warthog is so different and a pleasure to use.