Boy, I sure hate the Comanche.

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Hobart Escin

Boy, I sure hate the Comanche.

Post by Hobart Escin »

Well, not every aspect of it, but I'm so tired of trying to flare this thing without either ballooning, floating, or stalling and slamming onto the runway. Anymore, I hate even THINKING about trying to land this 250hp winged animal from hell. I'm so frustrated in trying to enjoy a perfect cross-country flight only to finish the trip with a screwed up landing yet again. It's just not enjoyable anymore knowing I will never really ever feel in control during a flare. I really enjoy all of A2A's other aircraft more than I can describe, but the Comanche and everything associated with it is getting relegated to the recycle bin on my computer. I never want to have to deal with it again under any circumstance.

I feel better already just knowing it's gone forever.

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scottb613
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Boy, I sure hate the Comanche.

Post by scottb613 »

Hi Hobart,

Hah - and I thought the Skylane was the most squirrelly - out of all the A2A aircraft I own...

Sometimes it’s the little tips that make all the difference - during flight training - I kept botching the landings in a C172 - finally took a ride with a different instructor - approaching the flare he asked me - “where are you looking” - I was still pretty focused on my aim point used further out on the approach - he’s like - “look DOWN the runway instead - towards the end during your round out and flare” - it was an epiphany - everything clicked from that point out...

If you nail your airspeed on approach - I find the Comanche flies fairly well - I’ve got some time in 180 Comanche’s for comparison - while the nose is heavier in a 260 - I’m sure it’s not all that different...

Regards,
Scott


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alioth
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Re: Boy, I sure hate the Comanche.

Post by alioth »

It can be the type of plane, of course, but if your joystick is good, I suggest you to try:

-Options->Controls->Calibration-> Elevator... put 127 in sensitivity and 1 in null zone. I have put those values in every axe.

It makes everything more responsive. As it should. No delay, no lag, no (false)smooth in your moves.
The delay in elevator can make landings a nightmare.

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bobsk8
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Re: Boy, I sure hate the Comanche.

Post by bobsk8 »

I find the Comanche which is one of my favorites to fly, very easy to land. First, you have to nail the approach speed, which I set at 90mph on short final, using trim, with full flaps. I also keep a small amount of power on until touchdown, since when you stall that wing, it will drop quickly. So the trick is kind of flying it onto the runway. The third thing I have done with most of my A2a aircraft is I use FSUIPC to calibrate my joystick, and the most important FSUIPC adjustment for me is to assign a slope on the elevator of +4. This causes a smaller response of the elevator in the flare, and stops any ballooning tendency. Only A2A aircraft that took me awhile to master is the AT6, and usually any drift on touchdown, causes 95% of the problems with that aircraft.
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AKar
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Re: Boy, I sure hate the Comanche.

Post by AKar »

A2A Comanche is easy to get down, but somewhat challenging to land 'perfectly'. I wouldn't get too frustrated if (when) I land it badly - we are on a sim anyway, and I for example fly into places that would certainly be well beyond my skill set even if I was an active flyer in reality.

Also, in FSX/P3D just about only way to bounce on landing is to land hard. Therefore I often just bring the plane down to conserve landing distance available, even if I had a little bit of excess speed. In DCS for instance, certain airplanes will certainly go back in flying if the wing's still wishing to fly, but not so in FSX/P3D.

-Esa

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Re: Boy, I sure hate the Comanche.

Post by Taka taka »

Yeah, the flare was the first issue I had with the Comanche, but it is easily solved.

As others have said, regardless of your trim, if you get your airspeed to 90 mph when you cross the wire it almost lands itself.
I find airspeed to be the single most important factor when putting the Comanche down.
"Spring Chicken to Shite Hawk in one easy lesson...taka taka taka taka..."

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ClipperLuna
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Re: Boy, I sure hate the Comanche.

Post by ClipperLuna »

For whatever my $0.02 are worth, there's one more thing you can try that might make things easier--fly it with a full load of people (three 170 lb passengers). This bird is more weight sensitive than many, and I found getting the flare and touchdown right was noticeably harder when I was flying solo.

Hobart Escin

Re: Boy, I sure hate the Comanche.

Post by Hobart Escin »

I appreciate all the advice and insight you guys. You know the guy at the golf course that threw all his clubs into the pond (after breaking half of them in two)? That's basically me with the Comanche. I've tried everything from precisely calculating my approach speed based on weight and configuration, carefully calibrating my controls, and practicing for hours on end. This little bastard has had it's last shot at me and it's never getting the chance to do it again, ever. I virtually opened up the oil fill tube and poured 3 big sacks of wet cement into it. Hey, that ought to keep rust and corrosion away!

Oh and if any body has some reliable scuba gear and wants a fairly new set of Callaways, hit me up. You might have to dig under a sunken Piper Comanche to get to them, but oh well.

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Jacques
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Re: Boy, I sure hate the Comanche.

Post by Jacques »

Well, I certainly know that feeling well! Maybe after some time away, you might load the Comanche up again and go out for a bit of woodshedding. An hour of touch-n-go's could provide the solution to your problem. Everybody has at least one aircraft that, for whatever reason, gets the better of them more often than not! Or, you could leave her down there with those Calloways!

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Orlaam
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Re: Boy, I sure hate the Comanche.

Post by Orlaam »

As others have said, I find airspeed to be the main factor. What helped me was adding weight to the baggage compartment, usually around 140 pounds and then a passenger in the right seat for some balance (less weight than left seat but something). I also added a curve to my FSUIPC elevator so it wouldn't be so jumpy to my inputs. I seriously doubt any plane moves that easy with a mm of movement in the yoke. Having said that, even with those adjustments I have floated at times. I figure that adding baggage and a pax is more realistic though, so other than adjusting the elevator sensitivity, it's not a major stretch.

I don't have a recorder, so I had to record this with my phone, lol. Here is my landing tonight at PSP. I was at 70 knots above the numbers with 17 pounds of FOB and 460 pounds of pax/cargo.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNLKOaeZU1o[/youtube]
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Scott - A2A
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Re: Boy, I sure hate the Comanche.

Post by Scott - A2A »

Hobart,

Your post sounds like so many Comanche pilots out there. This really displays our Accu-Sim process does successfully captures even these otherwise hard to impossible traits of specific airplanes. From my experience, I have 750 hours flying the real Comanche 250, and I still have good and bad days. Just when I think I've mastered the Comanche landing, I make a bad one and it humbles me all over again. Like the T-6, the challenge of landing the Comanche I have to think ultimately makes people a better pilot, because it forces you to dig deep.

Scott.
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Ron Attwood
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Re: Boy, I sure hate the Comanche.

Post by Ron Attwood »

I'm struck by how many 'This is what you do...' type posts. All well meaning I hasten to add. As if one particular thing is the answer. Here is A2As appeal, you have to FLY their planes! When Scott said about landing his RL Comanche it rang bells for me. In the T-6 there is no way there is a 'formula' for landing it, it has to be flown to a stop. Just when you think you have it nailed it'll bite you on the bum. It's the same for all of their planes. FEEL them! A few pounds more or less in the baggage or a few knots approach speed more or less is irrelevant in my humble opinion.

Happy Christmas, Spitfire or no Spitfire. :D
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jeepinforfun
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Re: Boy, I sure hate the Comanche.

Post by jeepinforfun »

Good advice Ron, Feel the plane.

Relax and just fly the aircraft and it will come to you. If you have all these things in your head and try to apply them all at once your brain goes into overload and that goes for not only landing the aircraft but your golf swing, throwing a ball and so many other things we do.
Take care, Brett

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Hobart Escin

Re: Boy, I sure hate the Comanche.

Post by Hobart Escin »

Scott - A2A wrote:Hobart,

Your post sounds like so many Comanche pilots out there. This really displays our Accu-Sim process does successfully captures even these otherwise hard to impossible traits of specific airplanes. From my experience, I have 750 hours flying the real Comanche 250, and I still have good and bad days. Just when I think I've mastered the Comanche landing, I make a bad one and it humbles me all over again. Like the T-6, the challenge of landing the Comanche I have to think ultimately makes people a better pilot, because it forces you to dig deep.

Scott.
I very sincerely appreciate where you're coming from, Scott, and I completely understand A2A not wanting to compromise the ultimate fidelity of the sim. I guess what I'm driving at is that if the real Comanche has this unique landing characteristic, then I really just don't like Comanches. Personal preference, not criticism! I enjoy challenges too, it's just that the Comanche always manages to come back and kicks me in the pants, just when I'm convinced I've mastered it. A LOT like golf and my attitude is probably why Tiger Woods refuses to play with me anymore. :wink:

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Paughco
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Re: Boy, I sure hate the Comanche.

Post by Paughco »

Sorry the Comanche is so frustrating on landing. It probably has something to do with the high performance, laminar flow wing. The way I see it, the airplane was designed to be flown fast, carry a lot of stuff, and "greaser" landings are way down there on Mr. Piper's list of design requirements. I usually fly her solo, but once in a while I fly with the airplane fully loaded, and she seems to float less on final that way. Hey, I don't even try to get an especially smooth landing. I just concentrate on bringing her across the fence at about 85 (solo) or 90 (more folks on board) and then I carefully control pitch to get her to "arrive" on the mains first. Then pull up the flaps to help keep her planted. Note that I used the word "arrive." My Comanche does not "touch." She does not (usually) "crash." Still, I have just flown across the better part of two states, through all sorts of weather, maybe penetrated some nasty stuff on an ILS approach, and now it's Miller time. Any landing that doesn't cause a problem with Mr. Shft+7 is OK in my book.

My recommendation is to quit worrying about the landings and fly her to some interesting places.

Seeya
ATB
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