Wind trouble - while on the ground

[johnhinson]

Hi Peter,

I've had a scout through past messages and can't find any mention of this.

In older versions of FSUIPC I recall there was an option to kill off wind whilst on the ground, as lighter aircraft would be blown off the runway. For users of joysticks without rudder control (as I had in those days) this was pretty essential. These days I have the twist rudder type joystick, and can control any drift when taxi-ing with ease, but take-off is a different matter indeed. With a tail-dragger, for instance, you can be blown off the runway as soon as the tail rises in certain wind conditions.

To get to the point, I can no longer find this feature in FSUIPC and wonder if this is planned for re-introduction at a later date?

With thanks,

John

[Pete Dowson]

In older versions of FSUIPC I recall there was an option to kill off wind whilst on the ground, as lighter aircraft would be blown off the runway.

The Taxi Wind facility, as it's called, is still in current versions of FSUIPC. It applies to FS2000 and FS2002. I've not found any way to apply it to FS2004, that's all. There's quite a lot of stuff about it within the forum here -- look for Taxi Winds. I did follow through some hopeful avenues in FS2004 but they didn't work, and I've not found any others.

For users of joysticks without rudder control (as I had in those days) this was pretty essential. These days I have the twist rudder type joystick, and can control any drift when taxi-ing with ease, but take-off is a different matter indeed. With a tail-dragger, for instance, you can be blown off the runway as soon as the tail rises in certain wind conditions.

I think the problem is nowhere near as bad in FS2004 as in FS2002 or earlier, and in fact seems pretty realistic. I suspect taildraggers are really pretty difficult to handle in a crosswind in any case. I'm sorry, but all I can suggest to clearing the weather or selecting weather with manageable winds until you can learn to control the yaw. Certainly I would have though rudder pedals to be an absolute must in such conditions.

Regards,

Pete

[johnhinson]

No problem, Peter, and thanks for the reply. As you say, it probably is very realistic, but it can certainly feel odd! I'm not a professional pilot, and not a particularly good amateur . . .

J