Cherokee - Prop strikes on rough surface

[bes1971]

Since updating to Accusim 10-3-15 their is an increased occurrence of prop strikes at bush strips, not so much on landing but rather when taxying. I have also noticed that if you pause immediately you suffer the strike & then go into the hanger to rectify the damage it is impossible to fix, you seem to be in a cycle of continual damage until you slew to a different location.

I have also noticed this when flying into Orbx's PNG bush strips (the take off & landing are fine) where because of the steep uphill incline you sometimes have to slew, turning 180 deg to position for the t/o run. On unslewing (?) the nose of the a/c dips down & you suffer another prop strike.

It is getting to the point where you cannot choose the Cherokee for this type of flying. The 182 & Comanche dont have the same problem.

Has the chance of a prop strike in the Cherokee been overdone with this update??

[Lewis - A2A]

Hello,

this hasn't been changed, but slewing can cause issues with the aircraft as the sim doesn't let us know when its in slew so Accu-sim damage is still on. If slewing i would raise up a couple feet first to make sure 100% you are not triggering any ground collision issues. Another option is to turn damage to OFF in the shift + 3 panel.

thanks,
Lewis

[bes1971]

Thats interesting re the updated Accusim but good tip on slewing, will try it out. Thanks

[scaber]

I agree. Something has happened to make prop strikes on rough grass strips almost impossible to avoid.

I landed and took off one day at Little Hartley, YZLH - OZx scenery, one day with no problems. I upgraded Accu-Sim the next day and happened to return to YZLH where I had a prop strike on landing (well, that does happen occasionally so didn't worry about it too much). When I repaired and tried to turn the plane another prop strike. I found experimentally that in some places on this strip I couldn't even start the engine without getting a prop strike.

Next I flew to Katoomba YKAT OZx scenery, where the same thing happened. Finally another day we had a trip to Menari in PNG- Orbx scenery where the same happened.

I next reinstalled the Cherokee so the Accu-Sim updates were back to the original (I couldn't think of a way to just go back to the previous Accu-Sim update) and then revisited all those airstrips. This time everything functioned as normal. No prop strikes even when I was pushing the stick forward as I taxied and landed on rougher patches.

I suspect that this only occurs on the rougher grass strips but may investigate shingle strips such as Martins Bay, NZMJ if I get time. I wonder if A2A has tweaked the ground handling in some was such that it causes enough movement on rough strips to result in the prop hitting the ground. I must have had 20-30 prop strikes before I reinstalled the Cherokee now it seems to be all ok again.

Is there a way to revert to the previous Accu-Sim version as I think that was better than the initial install version - though I can't remember why I think that!!

[scaber]

ok, now I'm confused (seems to happen fairly often though so no biggie!)

I decided to run the Accu-Sim 10-03-15 update again and found that it said that there was nothing to be updated. Wow, that meant that I had been flying the same Accu-Sim version all along and that the resinstall of the aircraft was all that was needed. The implication being that something in my original Cherokee installation had been corrupted somehow.

I've checked again by revisiting Katoomba and everything appears to still be ok.

So, in summary. Accu-Sim is not at fault, it was my original installation of the 180 which had been corrupted and had somehow affected the prop strike.

Does this make sense to you Lewis?


Just checked Menari - working fine. I'm happy again.

[Nick - A2A]

I decided to run the Accu-Sim 10-03-15 update again and found that it said that there was nothing to be updated.

As a general rule, if you apply an update then reinstall with your original installer you'll need to manually delete the following folder...

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\A2A\Cherokee180\Update_fsx

...Before re-running the same update or it'll think the product is up to date when it's not. If you want to check whether you're running a non-updated version, you could look to see if it's got the original 'Cessna style' altimeter and VSI as seen in this early screenshot, or the updated gauges as depicted here.

For what it's worth, I haven't encountered any issues with taxiing the Cherokee on the bumpy grass strip at Orbx's Compton Abbas. However, I'm currently running with the update (A2A_Update_09_15_15) which came before the P3D v.3 compatibility one.

Cheers,
Nick

[bes1971]

I have reinstalled the Cherokee following Scaber's procedure then updated Accusim, it said it was up to date (falsely, as Nick M has pointed out) and the prop strike problem was gone.

I then followed Nick M's advice to delete the "....Cherokee\Update_fsx folder" before updating Accusim to 09-15-15.

Updated Accusim and returned to Little Hartley and the prop strike is back.

This seems to indicate to me that there is something in the 09-15-15 Accusim update that is causing the problem.

I confirm that other A2A GA a/c, 182 & Comanche, are ok

Looking at the list of fixes to GA a/c I see "Enhanced ground thumps (simulating bumps passing from front to rear wheels)"

Just wondering Lewis if this may be a factor?

[bes1971]

[quote=For what it's worth, I haven't encountered any issues with taxiing the Cherokee on the bumpy grass strip at Orbx's Compton Abbas. However, I'm currently running with the update (A2A_Update_09_15_15) which came before the P3D v.3 compatibility one.

Cheers,
Nick[/quote]

Thanks Nick, yes it seems to be the 09-15-15 update that is the issue. I have tried the Cherokee at Orbx Goodwood & Damyns Hall plus Israel Farm in PNW & all ok. The problem highlights at some of the rougher bush strips in Australia & PNG using Orbx AYPY which adds some difficult hillside strips up country.

I am sure A2A will find a solution

[Nick - A2A]

The problem highlights at some of the rougher bush strips in Australia & PNG using Orbx AYPY which adds some difficult hillside strips up country.

Okay, I'll keep an eye out for this myself. I suspect the likelihood of it happening could be dependent on your weight and balance (this was reworked in a recent Accu-Sim update I think) as well as any gradient in the airstrip.

Probably also worth remembering that FSX isn't actually designed to support taxiing on sloping or uneven runways. Having said that, EGHA is on a bit of a slope and as mentioned, I've not had a prop strike there (yet ). I guess the elevation mesh at some of the backwoods strips must be particularly 'unfriendly'.

Cheers,
Nick

[Lewis - A2A]

The guys that have experienced this please can you list the add-on airports.

thanks,
Lewis

[scaber]

Here are some of the strips which have given me problems:

The prop strikes often occur on the runway either on landing or takeoff, but also when turning slowly at the top end of a runway preparing to take off again.

OZx Scenery
YZLH - Little Hartely - on the runway near the pond. Tried this with the OZx scenery removed and had the same result taxing through the trees instead of a runway!

YKAT - Katoomba - on the longer 06/24 runway


ORBX NZSI
N295 - Cobb Reservoir
T019 - Brewerton Creek

ORBX - Port Morsbey - Jackson airport scenery - this includes a number of bush strips which have prop strike problems
Menari
Efogi
Kagi - turning at the top and take off
Bodimumo - take off

I'm guessing that the remaining strips in this package will have similar problems.


This seems to occur more frequently on downhill take offs and when there is a dip in the 'runway'.

I've tried adding a couple of passengers in the rear but this has made no noticeable difference.

I'm running FTX global base and global vector in case that's relevant.

I've verified that YZLH, YKAT, Menari, Efogi, Kagi, and Bodimumo all give no problems with the first release of the Cherokee.

Thanks for looking at this Lewis and Nick. We are probably in a minority trying (and succeeding I should add) in landing the Cherokee at some of these places! Any hlep you can give is much appreciated.

[bes1971]

Prop strikes at Millie using Orbx AYPY scenery. Impossible to repair a/c at this location



Same scenery, this time at Boridi, Fine going over the brow of the hill, as soon as you start to descend, prop strike.

A common factor does seem to be on steep inclines



Hope this helps and thanks for your hard work

[Lewis - A2A]

Thanks for the report guys looking into it. Please remember for some of the real rough and ready strips a Cherokee might not be the best aircraft, esp if loaded.

thanks,
Lewis

[shortspecialbus]

Thanks for the report guys looking into it. Please remember for some of the real rough and ready strips a Cherokee might not be the best aircraft, esp if loaded.

thanks,
Lewis

Has there been an update on this? Trying to even taxi around ORBX Tapini is near impossible (had to slew up the hill, it just wouldn't move at all) and my takeoff roll ended early due to a prop strike. Granted, it's probably not the ideal aircraft for Tapini, but it shouldn't have had a prop strike where it did, I don't think.

[shortspecialbus]

Thanks for the report guys looking into it. Please remember for some of the real rough and ready strips a Cherokee might not be the best aircraft, esp if loaded.

thanks,
Lewis

Has there been an update on this? Trying to even taxi around ORBX Tapini is near impossible (had to slew up the hill, it just wouldn't move at all) and my takeoff roll ended early due to a prop strike. Granted, it's probably not the ideal aircraft for Tapini, but it shouldn't have had a prop strike where it did, I don't think.

I hate to bump again, but I'm still looking for an answer on this if there is one

Thanks,

-stefan