172 Drag in P3D

[bubbajune]

Ok, so I fly 172's IRL from the 172 B to the 172 G100. 400+ hours. When I pull the throttle and drop 30 in flaps, the girl drops out of the sky. I can go from 1500 AGL to 400 AGL in a mile. No speed increase, its like an elevator that lost it cables. Mucho drag.

Now to the A2A 172 P3d (updated version). I cannot do this. Am I missing some setting? I keep accelerating with 30 flap and power out when on approach. I know I can drop a 172 hard IRL in that configuration. The default 172 from FSX that I imported does this close enough, so what am I missing? AI have all my realism settings to the right. I feel like I bought a Macy's day balloon instead of an accurate 172. Any help appreciated.

[Scott - A2A]

bubbujune,

The 172M has the 40 degrees of flaps. Are you sure your 172B is not 40 degrees also? Because after the 172M, the flaps were decreased to 30 degrees. The 172 with 40 degrees can drop out of the sky much faster than at 30 degrees.

One of the tests we do in our Accu-Sim flight test program is what I call the "drop test." This is power off, full flaps, and descent at max flap extension speed.

I don't have the flight test in front of me but I seem to recall it being somewhere short of 2,000ft / min. We tune the Accu-Sim 172 to these tests.

Scott.

[bubbajune]

Ah, so I found the culprit. For some reason my default startup with the 172 had 3 gallons of fuel per side and only one pilot at 170 lbs. At that configuration, there would be a severe float no matter what you did. I try not to run the real airplanes that low ever, so that's why it felt funny. I changed the fuel load and everything is back to normal.

Also I did forget about the 40 flap settings in the early 172's. Those were awesome. With 40 in and a good headwind, you could land with almost 0 ground speed. Nothing like playing Harrier with a Cessna. I have been flying the 172 G100 lately, so that also is a bit heavier due to the batteries and avionics.

I have to say nice modeling, I never knew that the 172 got that light when the tanks were empty.

[EnDSchultz]

Ah, so I found the culprit. For some reason my default startup with the 172 had 3 gallons of fuel per side and only one pilot at 170 lbs. At that configuration, there would be a severe float no matter what you did. I try not to run the real airplanes that low ever, so that's why it felt funny. I changed the fuel load and everything is back to normal.

Also I did forget about the 40 flap settings in the early 172's. Those were awesome. With 40 in and a good headwind, you could land with almost 0 ground speed. Nothing like playing Harrier with a Cessna. I have been flying the 172 G100 lately, so that also is a bit heavier due to the batteries and avionics.

I have to say nice modeling, I never knew that the 172 got that light when the tanks were empty.

Probably because it'd be illegal to takeoff with only 6 gallons of fuel and so you'd never do it.