The Windiest place on earth!

[n454mw]

Hey All,
Just a few things to relate. I have been tinkering around for about a week thinking that there was something wrong with the pitch control on the 172. I did some modifications in the aircraft cfg file (using a negative number on the elevator trim effectiveness and such) but I couldn't ever seem to get it to preform like it should.

Today I went to the hardware store and bought a can of dry synthetic lube and took my CH yoke apart, cleaned it out, and lubed it all up good with the lube, and (Drum Roll) the plane was perfect. I hadn't realized how much a little stiffness in the control yoke can make a huge difference in the way the plane flies. The yoke was hanging just enough that I was having to exert to much force, then when it gave the plane would jump up or down and I couldn't get level flight out of it. So after a fresh install to make sure I hadn't really messed anything up and a well cleaned and slick yoke, the plane is absolutely perfect. I'm sorry I ever doubted A2A's ability to produce a truly excellent model.

The second thing is, I have been doing a lot of flying at Sedona Arizona lately. Tonight I was shooting some touch and goes, the wind was 70 at 12 gusting to 17, so I was taking off and landing runway 3. KSEZ is located on a plateau and on taking off the first time as soon as I cleared the end of the runway I hit some pretty strong gust coming up the face of the plateau. When I tried to land it got really interesting. I had power at idle over the fence and two notches of flaps trying to control the weather vane effect. As soon as I crossed the threshold the plane lurched and I went into a 500 FPM climb. With full forward yoke I couldn't get it to stop climbing, so I went around. The second landing wasn't pretty at ALL, I came in extremely shallow, no flaps and milking the throttle all the way. The only way I could get it down was to force it onto the runway with all the down yoke I could find. I heard a crunch and was afraid that I was facing a huge repair bill for a landing gear strut but the mechanic didn't say anything about it. I have experienced something like this in real life, about 50 or 60 feet off the runway I have flown through a dust devil, but it just tossed my 150 up about 15 feet and then let it go. What I experienced tonight in FSX held the plane up for the full length of the runway, which is just under a mile at 5132 feet.

Does Accusim model damage to the landing gear or is it just flight controls and things under the hood?

I haven't had this much fun in FSX EVER!!!!!
Mark

[JoeS475]

I had that exact same situation over some random airport between Kenai and Homer, AK (Orbx, offhand I forget which airport, but if anyone cares enough I can go back and figure out where I was)... Beautiful approach, totally manageable weather, and the second I passed the threshold, I was skyrocketing upwards... I made 3 more approaches, from each end of the runway with the same result. I ended up simply going to the next airport I could find, and there were no problems.

I figure this is some odd scenery issue, and certainly nothing to do with A2A... has anyone else experienced this?

Joe

[SkipperMac]

What weather program are you guys running as it sounds as if its generating localised turbulence or really strong updrafts? Interesting

[n454mw]

Joe, I agree and I didn't mean to imply that it was a A2A problem. I just found it really interesting and sort of fun, talk about the unexpected!

I am running the lastest beta of Opus and I really haven't found anything to complain about with it. I've had it for six months or so and this is the first time I've had any problems at all.

This did happen using ORBX Global which might have something to do with it but I wouldn't know where to start looking for the problem.

[JoeS475]

I use (sadly) the default weather engine, nothing more. The only thing Mark and I have in common, not counting the A2A Cessna, is an Orbx add on, even though they are different ones. Tomorrow I'll figure out exactly where I was, check if it happens again, and if it does I'll report the location so maybe someone else can confirm/deny this bug (feature, lol).

Joe

[Drizzle]

After four unsuccessful attempts and finally a pretty ugly--nosewheel first--landing at KSEZ today in my A2A Cherokee, I went looking to see if I was alone in this problem, and found this post...

I'm presently running P3D V2.2, and have ORBX Vector installed, as well as ORBX's freeware Sedona airport. But FWIW, I had this same problem repeatedly in the past in FSX with various scenery/weather engine configurations and a variety of GA aircraft.

Today was my first time trying to land here with P3D (using real-world weather via PILOTS FS Global Real Weather -- with a reported 4kt wind just off my nose), but I had the same problem in the past with FSX with both FSX's stock weather engine, and REX (all versions reaching back to REX2). I also had the problem with FSX default scenery, as well as MegaSceneryEarth.

Since I cannot recall a time when I did NOT end up trying land on what amounted to a giant FAN as soon as I reached the threshold, I'm wondering if anyone else has ever landed at KSEZ WITHOUT the crazy updraft problem!!

The challenge is intriguing, but I'd prefer real-world experiences wherever I fly. And since Sedona is such a lovely place, I hate not being able to visit there without ending up trying to ride out the proverbial 8 seconds on the back of my usually docile Cherokee suddenly turned rabid, raging bull!!

Drizzle

[Dogsbody55]

I found that a thorough clean and dry lube of my old CH yoke made a huge difference too. Much less sticking and jerking on the controls. It's something I'd recommend to anyone with an FS yoke.

You landing experiences sound like my real life flight training at Gin Gin, north of Perth. Up draughts and air pockets all within 300ft AGL of the runway were common, together with gusty crosswinds. You'd get turbulent air coming off nearby hills, as you were tossed all over the place in 40 degree C weather, with constant juggling of throttle, yoke and rudder. Whatever other problems you thought you had in life, you certainly forgot about them in those moments


Cheers,
Mike

[cessnaman]

Today I went to the hardware store and bought a can of dry synthetic lube

What brand of lube did you use.

Thanks,
Gabe

[MaxZ]

Hello Gentlemen!
I also had this problem at CYAL. At first I thought I was just too dumb to land this very time. Tried it over and over again but still no landing. I couldn't even touch the ground because I couldn't get close to it. And when fuel got lower and lower I went to CAT5 just up the road.


Max

[Oliver Branaschky]

Hi all,

have you guys tried disabling thermal effects in FSX? I know it made my PMDG NGX go crazy like that at some airports...

Might he worth giving a shot.

Regards,
Oliver


Oliver Branaschky

[JoeS475]

I actually never thought to try this... next time I encounter one of these odd airports I'll give it a try, thanks!

Joe

[taildraggin68]

Hey guys, I gave this a trial run with the thermal effects off, fsx weather clear, it was cake to put her down; with FSRealWX inputting the usual weather dynamics for an early evening landing(6pm) it was a bit trickier with the 15 degree crosswind component and the wind effects as you cross the edge of the plateau, but entirely manageable even if a little white knuckled

[taildraggin68]

I use (sadly) the default weather engine, nothing more. The only thing Mark and I have in common, not counting the A2A Cessna, is an Orbx add on, even though they are different ones. Tomorrow I'll figure out exactly where I was, check if it happens again, and if it does I'll report the location so maybe someone else can confirm/deny this bug (feature, lol).

Joe

Hey Joe, give FSRealWX lite a try, it is a free weather addon that will pull real time weather for which ever airport you load into FSX. Pretty simple to use, does not require FSUIPC as you can set it to connect to FSX with Simconnect. It only takes a few moments to load the weather data and can keep you on your toes. Did I mention it's free?

[JoeS475]

Thanks for that recommendation, just installed it and gave it a few test flights and I'm impressed! Nice, simple and free!

Joe

[taildraggin68]

Now give Sedona a try but leave your turbulence and thermals active, it will be bumpy but realistic