C172 -> C210 Centurion

After about a year sim-flying a C172 I decided to move up to a C210 Centurion. I tried a C182 but it didn't seem like a big enough step. Anyway, it's been a whole new learning curve. After crashing following take off after take off I finally realized I have a control between the throttle and the mixture... "propeller". I assume it has to do with propeller angle. Turns out if you push this in about 80% of the way, you get enough power to stay in the air. LOL.

That was quite the lesson learned. Now if I can just remember I have landing gear. I did three short flights tonight and remembered to put the gear down on only one of them.

That extra control is for the constant speed prop, and it should be all the way in for takeoff. I don't know what vintage* your 210 is, but after takeoff, gear up and established in the climb, bring the throttle back to about 25" of manifold pressure (yes, there's a new gauge for you) then bring the prop back to 2500 RPM.

If you wish you can bring the power back further for cruise, but when landing, and going through the last GUMPF** check on downwind, the prop should go back to full forward again, so that you'll have full power available if you need it (perhaps for a go around).

* Some newer aircraft may max at 2400 RPM -- if so, you can just leave it there for climb.

** GUMPF:

Gas

Undercarriage (gear)

Mixture

Prop

Flaps

After about a year sim-flying a C172 I decided to move up to a C210 Centurion. I tried a C182 but it didn't seem like a big enough step. Anyway, it's been a whole new learning curve. After crashing following take off after take off I finally realized I have a control between the throttle and the mixture... "propeller". I assume it has to do with propeller angle. Turns out if you push this in about 80% of the way, you get enough power to stay in the air. LOL.

 

That was quite the lesson learned. Now if I can just remember I have landing gear. I did three short flights tonight and remembered to put the gear down on only one of them.

The `rules` for the 182 replicate the C210, with the exception of retracting gear and a turbocharged engine...

My recommendation would be to master the Cessna 182 before trying to get to grips with the C210. You will then only have a couple of `new` features to add.

However, if you DO decide to use the C210M, use the checklist from here:

https://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/files/file/20482-carenado-cessna-t210m-centurion-ii-checklists/

It's an X-Plane checklist, but so very similar to the FSX one...

Mallcott make a good point, that in real life the C-182 would be a desired, almost mandatory intermediate step between the C-172 and the C-210. There you'd learn about handling the constant speed prop and diving power indication between two gauges, the extra weight and speed, and the cowl flaps before going to the extra complexity of the retractable gear and turbocharging (requires extra care to not damage the engine, among other things).

But in the sim you can get away with most anything, which is why I didn't point you that way.

And the more complex the aircraft, the more essential the checklists become, so check out his link, too.

Thanks so much, guys, for the information and suggestions. Maybe I will look at the 182 again, not only because it's suggested here, but so far I don't care a lot for the 210 (it seems that when I have Active Sky running, with any weather besides clear skies all around, I can't get any thing remotely resembling stable flight... it's up and down and up and down. Don't know if it's my yoke or what). The C210 is from Carenado and I operate P3dv4.5.

I know I bought the Carenado CT182T Skylane but it has the G1000 glass in it and I don't like that at all. But, I think I may have also bought the A2A 182 Skylane which has regular gages. I'll take a look when I get home. If I have the A2A I'll take a step back to their 182 and fly it for a while. If nothing else I'll stop crashing on landing for not lowering the gear.

Thanks so much, guys, for the information and suggestions. Maybe I will look at the 182 again, not only because it's suggested here, but so far I don't care a lot for the 210 (it seems that when I have Active Sky running, with any weather besides clear skies all around, I can't get any thing remotely resembling stable flight... it's up and down and up and down. Don't know if it's my yoke or what). The C210 is from Carenado and I operate P3dv4.5.

 

I know I bought the Carenado CT182T Skylane but it has the G1000 glass in it and I don't like that at all. But, I think I may have also bought the A2A 182 Skylane which has regular gages. I'll take a look when I get home. If I have the A2A I'll take a step back to their 182 and fly it for a while. If nothing else I'll stop crashing on landing for not lowering the gear.

Precisely!

KISS - Keep In Simple Steps.