Flight1 KIng Air B200 Reverse Thrust Setup

[ark1320]

Hello Pete,

 

I am trying to set up reverse thrust for the Flight1 KIng Air B200. I am using FSUIPC 4.934 and a Saitek Power Quadrant (PQ). I use a singe lever on the PQ as the throttle (power lever) for both engines, and I run all my lever type controls through FSUIPC4 calibration (the Enable Controllers option is deactivated in FSX) . I have programed the Saitek throttle (power leve) to activate reverse thrust when moved into the full down position, which actually turns on a switch in the PQ which in turn activates the FSX Throttle Decr control (with repeat while held).

 

Flight1 said:  We "cheated" FSX to get a working Beta range for the King Air by adjusting the power curve in the FDE so that idle power is at 25% on the FSX throttle range.

 

In operation, as I decrease the Saitek throttle lever from the position labeled IDLE  on the a/c, the animated sim throttle lever enters the Beta range and as I get to the very bottom of the Beta range, the animated throttle lever jumps back to Idle (this is the problem). If I then move the Saitek throttle lever down a bit further to activate the reverse switch, the animated throttle quickly moves down through the Beta area into reverse and reverse is activated.

 

I'm trying to figure out how to setup the system so the animated throttle does not jump back to idle from the bottom of the Beta range before entering reverse.

 

Thx,

Al

 

[Pete Dowson]

I am trying to set up reverse thrust for the Flight1 KIng Air B200. I am using FSUIPC 4.934 ...

 

Please update. 4.936 is the currently supported version.

 

Flight1 said:  We "cheated" FSX to get a working Beta range for the King Air by adjusting the power curve in the FDE so that idle power is at 25% on the FSX throttle range.

 

In operation, as I decrease the Saitek throttle lever from the position labeled IDLE  on the a/c, the animated sim throttle lever enters the Beta range and as I get to the very bottom of the Beta range, the animated throttle lever jumps back to Idle (this is the problem). If I then move the Saitek throttle lever down a bit further to activate the reverse switch, the animated throttle quickly moves down through the Beta area into reverse and reverse is activated.

 

 

 

So, enlighten me please. What's a "Beta range". What is it supposed to do. Feather the props or something, to aid in slowing down? What happens to the engine power / RPM in that range?

 

I'm trying to figure out how to setup the system so the animated throttle does not jump back to idle from the bottom of the Beta range before entering reverse.

 

I assume that it's the zero (normal idle) on the throttle which is being treated in this way. The problem is you need it to be zero, or minimum, so that the "throttle decr" control with take you into reverse. Otherwise you could prevent the throttle axis value getting that low by editing the calibration number, in the INI file, for the minimum (the first number in the parameter line) to a value below the lowest the axis can achieve - eg -16400 if the value there is -16384 or similar. It might be worth trying.

 

If that doesn't work, or prevents the reverse from engaging, I'm afraid I have no answer -- it's really a question for Flight1 or the aircraft's author. I'm sure you can't be their only user. How do others do it?

 

Pete

[ark1320]

...

 

So, enlighten me please. What's a "Beta range". What is it supposed to do. Feather the props or something, to aid in slowing down? What happens to the engine power / RPM in that range?

 

I assume that it's the zero (normal idle) on the throttle which is being treated in this way. The problem is you need it to be zero, or minimum, so that the "throttle decr" control with take you into reverse. Otherwise you could prevent the throttle axis value getting that low by editing the calibration number, in the INI file, for the minimum (the first number in the parameter line) to a value below the lowest the axis can achieve - eg -16400 if the value there is -16384 or similar. It might be worth trying.

....

Pete

From www.Pilotoutlook.com:

The beta range of operation consists of power lever positions from flight idle to maximum reverse.

Beginning at power lever positions just aft of flight idle, propeller blade pitch angles become progressively flatter with aft movement of the power lever until they go beyond maximum flat pitch and into negative pitch, resulting in reverse thrust. While in a fixed shaft/ constant-speed engine, the engine speed remains largely unchanged as the propeller blade angles achieve their negative values

 

In the KIng Air, the a/c is often taxied in the beta range because the flatter prop pitch keeps the thrust, and thus the taxi speed, down and saves on the brakes while maintaining engine rpm at the necessary level.

 

Your very clever suggestion to edit the low end throttle calibration number in the FSUJIPC ini file to a value below the lowest the axis can achive, eg -16400, solved the problem! 

 

Thanks very much Pete!

 

Al