My aircraft has a habit of turning left

[Ruzzo 59]

I have P factor off and yet on the ground and in the air, all my aircraft have a tendency to turn left, especially the Majestic Dash 8.

 

Any ideas?

[allardjd 1,853]

You might try increasing the size of the null zone for rudder and ailerons. Your yoke/joystick may not be returning accurately to mechanical center when released.

John

[jaydor 345]

What are you using for your throttle?  I use 2 Saitek Throttle Quadrants on 2 engine aircraft and if I am a little out of matching adjustment, then whichever engine has the more power the aircraft will turn from the power thrust.

 

If you are doing the same keep a check on the RPM gauges to keep each engine matched.  I am flying the Twin Otter all the time at the moment and with the Float version you have to turn on the water using the engine trust to turn

 

Want to turn left, then increase right engine left engine at idle.  So that's how I found out about not keeping straight on the taxiway.  Matching RPM to keep straight or compensate if you have a side wind..

 

Hope that helps?.. 

[Ruzzo 59]

John's advice has seemed to lessen the issue but even when I'm in cruise with the A/P on it's as if there's a bit of left/right rudder applied, I'm not flying straight.

 

Time to invest in some new hardware, me thinks.

[J G 927]

I had this issue when using FSUIPC with my yolk.

 

If you are using FSUIPC then go back to the setup and re-map all of your throttle axis.  This stopped it for me. 

 

J.

[David TRIGGS 0]

If you're turning left (ie not holding course) even with the auto-pilot on, maybe you just have a very strong cross wind ... ???

David

[allardjd 1,853]

@ David Triggs - If the AP is in NAV mode (using either the NAV Radio or GPS as a data source) the AP will still hold course, even in a crosswind unless the wind is so variable the AP can't keep up. If, on the other hand, the AP is in HDG mode, it will hold heading but a crosswind will wreak havoc with the course line.

John

[mike H 456]

I had this problem with a few of my a/c. What I do now is before l move any a/c on the ground ,l move all the control surfaces as far as they go first. This fixed it for me no more left turns.

 

Cheers Mike

[David TRIGGS 0]

Fair comment on the Autopilot, John! ... maybe also (with A/P off) laydor's comments about throttle settings on twin props is a factor ... have you tried switching on "propsync" ... ??

David

[MartinW 0]

I have P factor off and yet on the ground and in the air, all my aircraft have a tendency to turn left, especially the Majestic Dash 8.

 

Any ideas?

 

 

The Q400 will have a tendency to turn left. This is due to the prop wash effect and is actually realistic. So not exactly the right aircraft to test regarding your issue.

 

Unfortunately the Dash has a lousy yaw damper, so even with AP on, some rudder trim is required.

 

Whether Majestic have gone over the top a bit with this effect is anyone's guess, but you can disable the prop wash effect in the ini file.

 

I have it off, way better when using a joystick.

 

As for the rest of your aircraft, sounds to me like a controller issue. As an experiment, disconnect your controller, and temporarily fly with the keyboard. If the issue vanishes, it's a controller issue.