[DHC-3 Twin Otter Propeller levers]

Hi Shaun!

Thanks for checking this out. At least I know it's nothing my end!

Regards,

Tom

[DHC-3 Twin Otter Propeller levers]

Hey guys!

Been a couple of months now. Still happily flying the Twotter but still wondering about this. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Tom

[DHC-3 Twin Otter Propeller levers]

Hello Tom,

I'll have a look here.

Hi Shaun!

Many thanks - greatly appreciated! It's really my only query about an otherwise perfect aircraft!

Tom

[DHC6-100 Torque Press]

Yes, the power levers of a turboprop function differently to a piston engines throttles. Which is why they go by different names.

Ok thanks.

Also, the propeller levers are reduced to 75% RPM on the gauge for cruise, but this is full rearward travel for the levers - is this correct?

[DHC6-100 Torque Press]

Sounds more like operator error. If you move the power levers too fast you can generate an `overboost` situation, particularly with free turbines such as the PT6, so power control management is normally done slowly to avoid surge and lag. When spooling up for take-off, move the levers smoothly to about 50%, then wait for the engines to stabilise before smoothly and slowly increasing to take-off power. `Setting the needles` is the correct method of operation for a turboprop engine, whereas you can normally advance the levers to full in a piston prop. This is the main difference in engine management between pistons and turbines.

Thanks for your reply. Doing as you suggest, takeoff power (redline) is set with the throttle levers at about 75% of their full travel.

Also, the prop levers are reduced to 75% RPM on the gauge for cruise, but this is full rearward travel for the levers - is this correct?

Many thanks,

Tom

[DHC6-100 Torque Press]

Hi again!

Further to my earlier question about the prop levers, I'd like to ask about the torque pressure for the smaller engines on the -100 variant of the Twotter. Pushing the throttles to maximum, the torque pressure needles overshoot the red line by quite a bit (about 10PSI), so I have to reduce the throttles to about 75% (on the throttle lever tooltip) to get them just under the red line. Is this normal behavior?

Thanks,

Tom

[BeaverX - problem flying straight.]

Hi

I have a question about the wheeled BeaverX. When in level flight with no wind, no autopilot, with the rudder and aileron trim set to “0” and confirmed from the panel, the plane will slowly veer to the left – roughly two degrees a minute. This appears to happen with or without a joystick. I have done nothing in terms of adding a cargo or human payload – this is all at the default settings. Trimming the rudder usually corrects this (although it is a pain to have to do it), but this correction is lost when exiting FSX and I have to do it each time I fly.

For a while I’ve just thought about this as endearing characteristic of a plane as old as me – there are days when I don’t walk that straight either - but it would be nice to be able to fly straight. I have considered reinstalling, but wonder if it’s anything I’m doing that’s stupid – which is possible. Is there a means of returning the model to all factory defaults for example, in case I’ve made a change to the settings?

Many thanks

Brian

I don't have this addon, but I think it's supposed to be like that. It is a common characteristic of single engine aircraft to naturally yaw very slightly, particularly at high power settings, because of the way the propeller spins. To counteract this, try adding a little bit of opposite rudder trim, or in the FS settings reduce your "P Factor" slider down a bit.

[DHC-3 Twin Otter Propeller levers]

Hello!

Really liking the Twotter - it is one of my favourite addons!

I have a question regarding the propeller controls. The manual states that for cruise you set 75% prop RPM according to the gauge. So on level off, I set cruise power (40PSI) and begin to pull the prop levers back using CTRL+F2. It works, but to set 75% is the absolute minimum for the lever before it feathers (the tooltip over the lever reads 0%). To feather, I have to drag the levers back, then press CTRL+F2 to feather them. Is this normal?

Many thanks,

Tom

[Starting Engines Of The Seaplane Twinotter]

I've noticed that too.

This is what I do, it is by no means realistic but it is a workround that I found works. Before starting, only crack the fuel levers open (about 20-30%). Then start the engines as normal. Once they're started, then you can advance the fuel levers to their normal running position.

[Propeller Pitch On The Twotter]

More correct: Propeller pitch is not animated with this product !

The reason, apart from saving framerates, is that in the real twotter the props will move into feathered position on engine shutdown (Not on the float version though).

There is no mechanical linkage between the prop levers and the prop blades. Propblades are moved in pitch hydaulical through engine oil pressure. When the engines are shutdown there is no oil pressure and the prop blades moves to feather.

Finn

I've never really understood this about VP props. What does it look like in the feathered position? Is feathered where the prop blades are positioned completely side-on to the air? I noticed this as I boarded a DHC-8 Dash 8 a couple of years ago. Is full fine the opposite, where the blades completely face the air? Also I've travelled on various turboprop airliners and they all intermittantly make a wierd droaning sound during the taxi out - sounds a bit like a power saw - does anyone know what this is?

Thanks for a fine product!

Tom

[Couple of Questions on the Twotter X]

I'm not sure about the physical setting of the prop levers, but keep in mind that the propellers on many turboprops have a very narrow RPM range (often only a couple of hundred RPM) that they normally operate in during cruise flight, which means that the levers will have quite a bit of travel for not much change in RPM.

As for the float landings, they're much harder in FSX than in the real world, so don't feel bad if they're getting annoying.

In the real world (I actually have a float rating), landing a seaplane is done mostly by using perpherial vision to tell where the water is, and basically flying the airplane onto the water at the appropriate touchdown speed and at almost zero sink rate with the floats essentially parallel to the surface instead of flaring like land-based aircraft would.

Since FSX doesn't do a great job of depth perception for water and because you can't really use your perepherial vision on a PC monitor, I've found that using the radar altimeter to fly the Otter onto the water works pretty well, and after a few landings, you'll probably get a better idea of what outside view looks like when you make a proper landing.

If might also help to make the landing from the VC view, but with a spot view window opened up so you can judge the height a little better.

After landing, bring the yoke all the way back, and either let the water drag slow the airplane down, or engage reverse thrust to cut down on the "rollout" distance.

In the real world, seaplanes with reversible pitch props try to avoid using full reverse at low speeds, since the prop-blast can throw spray into both the propellers and the engines, neither of which really like getting wet, especially in salt water.

Thanks for your reply. I haven't tried that yet but I just did a couple of flights in the Otter and they were very enjoyable - sure is a fun aircraft to fly! I had no trouble setting the correct 75% RPM for cruise, yet it did seem a bit odd pulling the levers right back to set this.

I've also noticed that the oil pressure gauge always reads on the red line at 100 during cruise at proper cruise power, and in the -100 series Otter, the Engines spool up to over the red line on the Pressure gauge (top gauge of the engine instruments), which is the same position as they would spool up in the -300 series but on the -300 series the red line is further round than on the -100 series.

[Couple of Questions on the Twotter X]

Hi guys!

New to this forum but am a member of a couple of other FS related forums. I recently purchased the Twin Otter X product and must say that overall I am very impressed. It is my first Aerosoft purchase and it certainly won't be my last!

In the -300 model in particular I notice that cruise power is 40 PSI on the power levers and 75%RPM on the prop levers. I set this but find that the prop levers need to be pulled fully back to achieve 75% RPM (the tooltip says 0% when hovering the mouse over the prop levers). Is this normal? To feather the props, I can only do this by first pulling the levers fully back and then pressing SHIFT+F2. Is this a bug as it seems strange to have to pull the prop levers to their minimum setting for cruise?

Also a more general question on technique for landing the float variant! How do I do it?!

Kind regards,

Tom