Steering Tiller FSX

[peterhayes]

Hi Pete

Preamble: I am using ver 4.517 of FSUIIPC4. Initially I installed ver 4.5 and from that in my \FSX\modules folder I have a "FSUIPC 4 User Guide.pdf" dated 27/02/2009.

Is this the latest version of the manual or have I missed something when I installed ver 4.5?

In the manual (if this is the latest version) on Page 42 under Axis assignments: In a boxed section pertaining to the steering you say, ". . . FSX does provide a steering axis (which when I have tested I will be adding to the calibration possibilities in FSUIPC4)." Is there anymore testing to be done on this function as it appears as a calibration function in FSUIPC4 (and it works very well indeed)?

You also say that "The FSX offering may well make the FSUIPC4 tiller provisions redundant, . . ."

I have a CH Eclipse Yoke and CH pedals. The yoke also now features a set of "paddles" which I use to steer the plane whilst taxiing and the only way that I can set the Paddles to "steer" the plane whilst on the ground and then disengage say at 60 knots for the rudder pedals to "take-over" is via FSUIPC4. There doesn't seem to be any way this can be achieved either via CHCM or FSX unless I am missing something. So I am just saying that this is such a very useful setting to have in FSUIPC4, and by implication FSX cannot make it "redundant".

One last question: When using "MaxSteerSpeed=60" say for small GA aircraft is the "60knot" changeover a realistic speed for the rudder pedals to kick in or would it be better to lower this to say "40 knots". Any Comments or suggestions from real world pilots? (I note that you say that this parameter could vary for different aircraft.)

Thanks again for adding a fantastic function like this to FSUIPC4.

Regards

PeterH

[Pete Dowson]

Hi Pete

Preamble: I am using ver 4.517 of FSUIIPC4. Initially I installed ver 4.5 and from that in my \FSX\modules folder I have a "FSUIPC 4 User Guide.pdf" dated 27/02/2009.

Is this the latest version of the manual or have I missed something when I installed ver 4.5?

The version to which the issue of the Manual is applicable is clearly shown on the very first page. It will certainly say "4.50", as version 4.50 is explicitly dated 27th February in its "About" display, in its Properties-Version, and in the Announcement above concerning currently supported versions. So, please tell me, how is your confusion arising?

In the manual (if this is the latest version) on Page 42 under Axis assignments: In a boxed section pertaining to the steering you say, ". . . FSX does provide a steering axis (which when I have tested I will be adding to the calibration possibilities in FSUIPC4)." Is there anymore testing to be done on this function as it appears as a calibration function in FSUIPC4 (and it works very well indeed)?

If you mean you assigned an Axis in FSX to the control "STEERING SET", that I think you must be mistaken. There is nothing in FSUIPC's calibration system to even intercept this control let alone calibrate it. The most FSUIPC will do with it is Log it (if you select Axis event logging). The calibration facility in FSUIPC for a tiller works on the axis assigned in its own axis assignments for a tiller, and it uses the FS RUDDER control to operate -- at low speeds, on the ground, with gradual transfer to rudder axis input. This is exactly the same facility provided in FSUIPC3 for FS9 and before, which versions of FS never had a "STEERING_SET" control built in.

You also say that "The FSX offering may well make the FSUIPC4 tiller provisions redundant, . . ."

Yes, I assumed then that Microsoft must have implemented a true steering control, though, sorry, I've never tested it in place of the FSUIPC provisions -- which I am very happy with in my own cockpit. No one so far has provided any feedback on the FSX provisions, but they may be in use by non-FSUIPC users.

I have a CH Eclipse Yoke and CH pedals. The yoke also now features a set of "paddles" which I use to steer the plane whilst taxiing and the only way that I can set the Paddles to "steer" the plane whilst on the ground and then disengage say at 60 knots for the rudder pedals to "take-over" is via FSUIPC4.

This most definitely indicates that you are using the FSUIPC provisions, then, not the FSX ones.

There doesn't seem to be any way this can be achieved either via CHCM or FSX unless I am missing something. So I am just saying that this is such a very useful setting to have in FSUIPC4, and by implication FSX cannot make it "redundant".

As it sounds like you've not actually tried the FSX built-in provisions, I'm not sure that can be accepted as a valid statement.

One last question: When using "MaxSteerSpeed=60" say for small GA aircraft is the "60knot" changeover a realistic speed for the rudder pedals to kick in or would it be better to lower this to say "40 knots".

No idea, but please understand that this is in no way a "kick-in". The changeover operated by FSUIPC is progressive. If the limit is 60 then at 30 knots the Rudder and Tiller each have 50% of the control. As you accelerate you are using more rudder and less tiller. You only have full rudder control at and after that speed, and you only have full tiller control at 0 knots (;-)).

I think this is reasonably realistic for most aircraft, but I've only tried in in a real Cessna.

Regards

Pete

[peterhayes]

Hi Pete

Thanks for the replies.

Regards

PeterH