Why are the controls set up with a single controller switch to enable feathering for BOTH propellors ?

[Matchstick 5]

Why has the Twotter been set up so that the plane has a single Feather switch for both engines bound to the TOGGLE PROPELLER REVERSE THRUST command which appears to make it impossible to enable feathering for a single prop when using a throttle.prop

 

Would it not be MUCH more sensible for the feather control  not be individually mapped to something like TOGGLE FEATHER SWITCH 1 & 2 for each Propeller indvidually.

[Eric Bakker 736]

I agree, but this is a how MSFS is made. There is no Toggle Feather Swtch for separate engines.

[SimWare 730]

Dear Matchstick,

 

Eric is right. It is a MSFS feature wich addons have to comply with.
 

Actually the TOGGLE PROPELLER REVERSE THRUST function indeed sets both Prop levers in reverse/feathering mode.

However, once in that mode, the lever can be individually adjusted as you want.

Please see the video hereunder : 

 

[Matchstick 5]

7 minutes ago, Eric Bakker said:

I agree, but this is a how MSFS is made. There is no Toggle Feather Swtch for separate engines.

Yes there are - TOGGLE FEATHER SWITCH 1 and 2 - or even if those aren't available for some reason you could use the DECREASE PROPELLER X PITCH command in the same was you you use the THROTTLE X DECREASE command for reverse Thrust (though that appears not to be working)

Please login to display this image.

[SimWare 730]

Indeed, this is an MSFS feature.
Due to internal data and functions availability, some external programs such as addons don't have full read/write access to 
all functions available in the MSFS setup panel.

Workaround like the one in my previous post above with video have to be found.

Please see this post :

 

[Matchstick 5]

2 minutes ago, SimWare said:

Indeed, this is an MSFS feature.
Due to internal data and functions availability, some external programs such as addons don't have full read/write access to 
all functions available in the MSFS setup panel.

Workaround like the one in my previous post above with video have to be found.

Please see this post :

 

 

The problem is that it feathers BOTH props - if you are feathering in flight it's because an engine has failed and the last thing you want to do is feather the OTHER engine as well.

 

In your video you are moving BOTH levers at the same time, this is what happens when you only move one.

2022-01-19 12-59-35.mkv

[SimWare 730]

See what you mean.

You want to have a propeller in normal mode while the other one is in feather

mode in case of an in-flight malfunction, for instance.

Let me check if I can find a workaround with

the MSFS capabilities.

[Matchstick 5]

28 minutes ago, SimWare said:

See what you mean.

You want to have a propeller in normal mode while the other one is in feather

mode in case of an in-flight malfunction, for instance.

Let me check if I can find a workaround with

the MSFS capabilities.

 

Absolutely !

 

Thanks for looking at this again.

[geraldlec 13]

The only way to face this issue from MFS, for example with ENGINE 2 OFF:

 

- lever propeller 2 to iddle (with your propeller management axis)

- with mouse engage feather mode of propeller 2 command in cokpit

 

 

 

[SimWare 730]

16 minutes ago, geraldlec said:

The only way to face this issue from MFS, for example with ENGINE 2 OFF:

 

- lever propeller 2 to iddle (with your propeller management axis)

- with mouse engage feather mode of propeller 2 command in cokpit

 

Hi Geraldlec,

 

Thank you. This is indeed a way for independant control but it implies the use of the mouse wich isn't

the most appropriate when using a lever quadrant.

However, this may be currently the only option due to the way MSFS allows interfacing with addons.
I am still looking for any solution.

Please keep in mind that we will release a Honeycomb Configurator for MSFS soon.
It will allow to interface with the internal variables of the planes.
This may be a solution for the feather question.

Best reegards.

[SimWare 730]

I "may" have come with some sort of solution wich is a workaround and still needs to be tested.
It uses AAO.
Two short scripts are created, setting both K:AXIS_PROPELLER1_SET and K:AXIS_PROPELLER2_SET to -24000.
It goes indeed below the lower -16383 limit.
Each of these scripts are assign in AAO to the contacts on the propeller levers.

DISCLAIMER : This isn't an official assignment method and must be used at your own risks.
                         Especially because we are going below the official lower limit of the variable.
                         This may impact other variables 
See the video hereunder :
 

                         

[MalcolmA 1]

15 hours ago, SimWare said:

See what you mean.

You want to have a propeller in normal mode while the other one is in feather

mode in case of an in-flight malfunction, for instance.

Let me check if I can find a workaround with

the MSFS capabilities.

Another thing to reaffirm the importance of being able to feather a single prop is the presence of the Auto Feather switch, which in the real twotter, will automatically feather an engine should a failure occur. That might be hard to implement though 

[SimWare 730]

Hi Malcom,

 

I will check with the developpers.

 

Thanks.

[Finn 873]

Not sure if they work, but look at this link for Sim events:

https://docs.flightsimulator.com/html/index.htm#t=Programming_Tools%2FSimVars%2FEvent_IDs%2FAircraft_Engine_Events.htm

 

TOGGLE_FEATHER_SWITCH_1

TOGGLE_FEATHER_SWITCH_2

 

Even Autofeather Arm is  there, if it they wanted to implement that like in the Twin Otter Extended:

TOGGLE_AUTOFEATHER_ARM

 

I think at least the Autofeather light should come on when Autofeather switach has been selected - kind of what You would see during a normal Take Off / GA.

[SimWare 730]

Hi Finn,

 

Thank you.
Currently these default events are not linked in the Twin Otter.