MSFS Turbulence

[Nels_Anderson]

Yesterday I decided to have some "fun" and do some practice touch and goes at a local airport in real weather conditions...that being winds at 21 knots with heading about 30 degrees left of the active runway. In a light plane that's going to provide some challenge.

 

So I took the Archer around the pattern and got bounced around pretty good. I requested a touch and go and all went well as the bouncing continued. But in the last hundred feet or so before touchdown all the turbulence went away, making for an easy and smooth landing. Although it's natural for conditions to change at ground level I wasn't expecting this. I did three landings and it was the same each time.

 

I've only tried this once. I wonder what others have experienced flying in similar conditions?

[tiger1962]

I use live weather all the time and I fly GA/Exec aircraft. The turbulence in higher winds/crosswinds is very realistic in my limited real-world experience, so much so that I check www.metoblue.com before choosing my departure airport. If there's a 15 knot-plus wind there, I look elsewhere in the country and even other countries for calmer conditions. Regarding turbulence suddenly disappearing, that can happen and so can the reverse - it happened to me yesterday on final approach to LIRN Naples as I passed low over the city streets near the airport, I was suddenly bounced around in all directions until I'd crossed a highway and the airport boundary fence.

[cianpars]

I've experienced this phenomenon a few times in real life.  Whilst turbulence is normally greater closer to the ground that is not always the case especially when a runway may be masked by hills or mountains in certain wind directions.

 

FYI, I hear that the lastes beta has toned down the turbulence quite a lot and you will be able to adjust it it when the full update is released, hopefully in a few days.

[Nels_Anderson]

Thanks for the feedback, I was curious what others had experienced. This was the first time I'd tried flying on such a windy day and was expecting more of a challenge at touchdown. I've done enough real world flying to know that conditions at altitude can be different from those near the ground, but it just seemed suspicious how things just totally smoothed out.

[nsproles]

On 3/18/2023 at 8:41 AM, Nels_Anderson said:

"...but it just seemed suspicious how things just totally smoothed out."

I read somewhere once, and I cannot remember where, that the MSFS programme smooths things out as you land.  The article noted how this may not be realistic, but that is what it was.  This may be an explanation for what you have observed.

[Nels_Anderson]

8 hours ago, nsproles said:

I read somewhere once, and I cannot remember where, that the MSFS programme smooths things out as you land.  The article noted how this may not be realistic, but that is what it was.  This may be an explanation for what you have observed.

 

Ah, exactly what I was wondering about, as that's what it seemed like.

 

There are of course the whole range of "assistance options" one of which does make landings easier, but I have those turned off.