182 elevator control problem

[richstacy]

I just acquired the 182. It's a marvelous sim aircraft to be sure. But my realistic experience is being severely marred by an elevator control problem. I fly with CH yoke and rudders. My problem is that on the 182, the elevator control is ultra sensitive. The slightest movement will pitch the nose up or down 10 or 15 degrees or more - and any normal movement will cause it to go completely nuts. It makes landing quite a challenge and totally unrealistic. The rudders and ailerons are not affected. They function normally. I'm experiencing no similar problem with the yoke on any other aircraft.
Help please.

[Nick - A2A]

Richstacy,

There's a 'simulated elevator force' slider to the bottom of the shift + 3 pop-up panel which may help with this. Moving the slider to the right should reduce elevator authority at higher speeds: I find it allows me smoother pitch control in cruise flight.

New Features
- Simulated Elevator Force Slider
During development and through the heavy flight testing of the Cessna 172R, we started to identify differences between the actual yoke movements in the aircraft and how flight simmers interpret their own controller movements. Now with the masses weighing in, we've narrowed this down to two distinctly different camps defined as "Pressure flyers" and "Deflection flyers." Pressure flyers respond to stick spring pressure, while deflection flyers respond to stick deflection and this interpretation happens somewhere between the hand and the brain. My own personal experience on this is, I used to be a pressure flyer, but with the steady activity flying different aircraft types I've slowly become a deflection flyer. However, we've seen even active pilots that fly flight simulation, fall into either of these camps and anywhere in between. Here at A2A, we've always said "we believe in options." We always want the customer to be king in determining what is right for them and this is largely what this update has been about - our responding to customer needs and wishes. We think / hope we created a bridge for both camps and everyone in between, below.

There is a new slider in the lower left corner of the CONTROLS menu (SHIFT-3) called the "Simulated elevator force" slider (will be labelled later) which the user can adjust the elevator sensitivity based on the simulated forces on the yoke. A value of 0 is the current setup for deflection flyers, and pressure flyers can move the scalar up to fit their needs. This would give full elevator authority at slower speeds, yet allow those who find it too sensitive on their controllers to adjust to their personal preferences.

Cheers,
Nick

[richstacy]

Richstacy,

There's a 'simulated elevator force' slider to the bottom of the shift + 3 pop-up panel which may help with this. Moving the slider to the right should reduce elevator authority at higher speeds: I find it allows me smoother pitch control in cruise flight.

New Features
- Simulated Elevator Force Slider
During development and through the heavy flight testing of the Cessna 172R, we started to identify differences between the actual yoke movements in the aircraft and how flight simmers interpret their own controller movements. Now with the masses weighing in, we've narrowed this down to two distinctly different camps defined as "Pressure flyers" and "Deflection flyers." Pressure flyers respond to stick spring pressure, while deflection flyers respond to stick deflection and this interpretation happens somewhere between the hand and the brain. My own personal experience on this is, I used to be a pressure flyer, but with the steady activity flying different aircraft types I've slowly become a deflection flyer. However, we've seen even active pilots that fly flight simulation, fall into either of these camps and anywhere in between. Here at A2A, we've always said "we believe in options." We always want the customer to be king in determining what is right for them and this is largely what this update has been about - our responding to customer needs and wishes. We think / hope we created a bridge for both camps and everyone in between, below.

There is a new slider in the lower left corner of the CONTROLS menu (SHIFT-3) called the "Simulated elevator force" slider (will be labelled later) which the user can adjust the elevator sensitivity based on the simulated forces on the yoke. A value of 0 is the current setup for deflection flyers, and pressure flyers can move the scalar up to fit their needs. This would give full elevator authority at slower speeds, yet allow those who find it too sensitive on their controllers to adjust to their personal preferences.

Cheers,
Nick

Thanks Nick I will give it a try. I have only flown a real 182 for less than a n hour, but I have over 100 hrs in a real 172, plus quite a few in a bonanza -- and I've never experienced this problem in real life.

[richstacy]

Richstacy,

There's a 'simulated elevator force' slider to the bottom of the shift + 3 pop-up panel which may help with this. Moving the slider to the right should reduce elevator authority at higher speeds: I find it allows me smoother pitch control in cruise flight.

New Features
- Simulated Elevator Force Slider
During development and through the heavy flight testing of the Cessna 172R, we started to identify differences between the actual yoke movements in the aircraft and how flight simmers interpret their own controller movements. Now with the masses weighing in, we've narrowed this down to two distinctly different camps defined as "Pressure flyers" and "Deflection flyers." Pressure flyers respond to stick spring pressure, while deflection flyers respond to stick deflection and this interpretation happens somewhere between the hand and the brain. My own personal experience on this is, I used to be a pressure flyer, but with the steady activity flying different aircraft types I've slowly become a deflection flyer. However, we've seen even active pilots that fly flight simulation, fall into either of these camps and anywhere in between. Here at A2A, we've always said "we believe in options." We always want the customer to be king in determining what is right for them and this is largely what this update has been about - our responding to customer needs and wishes. We think / hope we created a bridge for both camps and everyone in between, below.

There is a new slider in the lower left corner of the CONTROLS menu (SHIFT-3) called the "Simulated elevator force" slider (will be labelled later) which the user can adjust the elevator sensitivity based on the simulated forces on the yoke. A value of 0 is the current setup for deflection flyers, and pressure flyers can move the scalar up to fit their needs. This would give full elevator authority at slower speeds, yet allow those who find it too sensitive on their controllers to adjust to their personal preferences.

Cheers,
Nick

Thanks Nick I will give it a try. I have only flown a real 182 for less than a n hour, but I have over 100 hrs in a real 172, plus quite a few in a bonanza -- and I've never experienced this problem in real life.

OK, I took your advice and ran the number up to about 70. That gives a much, much more natural feel.
Thanks.

[Nick - A2A]

Hey - glad it helped! I think the elevator force slider is one of A2A's best kept secrets - it doesn't seven get a mention in the manual! After lots of fiddling with controller settings over the years, I seem to have finally settled on very low sensitivities, a tiny null zone and the elevator force slider at maximum. I may just be ham-fisted, but this seems to get the best out of my (cheap and cheerful) joystick.

Cheers,
Nick

[richstacy]

Hey - glad it helped! I think the elevator force slider is one of A2A's best kept secrets - it doesn't seven get a mention in the manual! After lots of fiddling with controller settings over the years, I seem to have finally settled on very low sensitivities, a tiny null zone and the elevator force slider at maximum. I may just be ham-fisted, but this seems to get the best out of my (cheap and cheerful) joystick.

Cheers,
Nick

OK, now I have a new problem. I was flying a little cross country from Moffet field (South end of SF bay) to Monterey, and was holding altitude and heading with autopilot. I moved the heading bug just a bit to correct course and the auto pilot went nuts and put me in about a 60 degree dive. I barely got it shut off in time to avoid crashing into the coastal range. I have NEVER observed this behavior on any other airplane real or simulated! A major flaw in the autopilot! Not sure this thing is quite ready for prime time. Looks great flies -- not so much.

[Welsch]

How is your frame rate? This usually happens when you operate at or below 12-10fps

[Lewis - A2A]

Hello,

what was your frame rate and weather conditions (are you using third party weather?) the aircraft must be flown realistically so if you dont fly a 182 in the weather conditions in real life don't fly it in the sim without expecting some issues.

For the Autopilot remember it requires a good frame rate anything below 20 and issues will arise with the AP as FSX starts to shut things down to carry on running (this is a known FSX working as flight fidelity is the first thing affected) and for correct general operation please refer to the Bendix King manuals.

thanks,
Lewis

[richstacy]

Hello,

what was your frame rate and weather conditions (are you using third party weather?) the aircraft must be flown realistically so if you dont fly a 182 in the weather conditions in real life don't fly it in the sim without expecting some issues.

For the Autopilot remember it requires a good frame rate anything below 20 and issues will arise with the AP as FSX starts to shut things down to carry on running (this is a known FSX working as flight fidelity is the first thing affected) and for correct general operation please refer to the Bendix King manuals.

thanks,
Lewis

Lewis,
Thanks for your attention. Not using third party weather. I don't really follow your point re the weather. The flight yesterday was standard fair weather with some wind modification to be typical of the Bay Area and slightly thicker cumulus clouds. I flew back from Monterey to Moffet Field. Checked the frame rates carefully. With sliders toward the middle, they never dipped below 50 mostly between 60 and 70. But there were no more bizarre anomalies. Very normal flight, even with the AP off and on and off again. I have had at least four of these anomalies though.

BTW, I have more than 200 hours in the much more complex A2A 377 Stratocruiser, twice around the world, never a problem, and My system will run the power hungry PMDG 737NG with no problems as long as the sliders are not too far right.
I use FS Global mesh scenery worldwide. It has no real effect on framerates and is vastly superior to the default FSX.

I know it will help when I read the manuals. So far I am just getting in and flying being careful not to overpower.

[Lewis - A2A]

Ahh okie dokie, in that case before we go looking for technical issues can we make sure you are using the auto-pilot correctly. The systems are 1:1 simulations so the manual is the actual Bendix King manual that can be downloaded from the Bendix website for correct use and cmpliments the manual for the 182 itself under your start menu >> all programs >> A2A simulations

thanks,
Lewis