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How to fly a Twotter - Any links to speeds, charts, etc.


raymar

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I have the latest version of the Twin Otter but find the manual very thin in "how to Fly the Twin Otter" There is tons of info on the gps and radios, but nothing about V1, V2, Vr, flap settings, Rate of climb, angle of climb, one engine out operations, etc. I found one page about how to taxi and takeoff using the float version. Unfortunately, I am most interested in the wheeled version.

The only numbers I can really find is in the kneeboard reference, which is as it should be a reference not a "How To"

Anyone have any links from real pilots flying Twotters? Any reviews that mention how to actually fly the bird?

Most of the links for the reviews are broken at the Aerosoft Shop for the Twin Otter. (Probably reviews are too old now)

How about a website for Twin Otter enthusists?

Thanks.

Ray

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I have the latest version of the Twin Otter but find the manual very thin in "how to Fly the Twin Otter" There is tons of info on the gps and radios, but nothing about V1, V2, Vr, flap settings, Rate of climb, angle of climb, one engine out operations, etc. I found one page about how to taxi and takeoff using the float version. Unfortunately, I am most interested in the wheeled version.

The only numbers I can really find is in the kneeboard reference, which is as it should be a reference not a "How To"

Anyone have any links from real pilots flying Twotters? Any reviews that mention how to actually fly the bird?

Most of the links for the reviews are broken at the Aerosoft Shop for the Twin Otter. (Probably reviews are too old now)

How about a website for Twin Otter enthusists?

Thanks.

Ray

Kneeboard mate... :rolleyes:

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Well, if you haven't, then a reinstall is in your future.

DHC-6 TWIN OTTER 300 Wheel

REFERENCE INFORMATION

Maximum Takeoff Weight

15,500 lb

5670 kg

Maximum Landing Weight

12,300 lb

5579 kg

Normal Takeoff, Flaps 10

Weight

VR

V2

12,500

69

79

12,000

68

77

11,500

66

76

11,000

65

74

10,500

64

72

10,000

64

70

9,500

64

70

VR = Rotation Speed

V2 = Takeoff Safety Speed

STOL Takeoff, Flaps 20

Weight

63

73

12,500

62

71

12,000

61

69

11,500

60

68

11,000

59

67

10,500

58

65

10,000

58

63

9,500

58

63

VR = Rotation Speed

V2 = Takeoff Safety Speed

Normal Approach, Flaps 20

Weight

Vref

12,300

80

12,000

79

11,500

77

11,000

75

10,500

73

10,000

72

9,500

70

9,000

68

8,500

66

8,000

64

7,500

62

Vref = Reference Landing speed

STOL Approach, Flaps 40

Weight

Vref

12,300

74

12,000

72

11,500

70

11,000

69

10,500

67

10,000

66

9,500

64

9,000

62

8,500

60

8,000

59

7,500

57

Vref = Reference Landing speed

Climb Torque Pressure – 91% NP (oat in Celsius)

P Alt

-20°

-10°

0°

+10°

+20°

+30°

6000

50

50

47

43

40

36

8000

49

46

43

40

37

33

10000

45

43

40

37

34

30

12000

42

39

37

34

31

28

14000

38

36

33

31

28

25

16000

37

35

32

30

28

--

18000

34

32

30

28

--

--

20000

31

29

27

25

--

--

Airspeed Limits (CAS) in knots

Landplane

Ski/ Float

Vne (Never exceed)

202*

183*

Vno (Max. struct cruise)

160**

160**

Vp (Maneuvering)

130***

149.8***

Vmc (Minimum control)

64

73.7

Vfe (Flaps 0° to 20°)

100

115

Vfe (Flaps 20° to 40°)

85

97.9

* Reduce Vne 4.6 m.p.h. (4K) per 1000 ft. above 10000 ft.

** Reduce Vno 3.5 m.p.h. (3K) per 1000 ft. above 10000 ft.

*** Reduce Vp - Vno above 20000 ft.

Maximum Cruise Speeds, TAS

Sea Level 170 kts

5000 feet 181 kts

10,000 feet 182 kts

Enroute Climb Sealevel

Both engines max climb power 1600 ft/min

Single engine at max continuous power 340 ft/min

Service Ceiling (< 100 ft/min Climb)

Both engines max climb power 26,700 ft (8138 meter)

Single engine at max continuous power 11,600 ft (3536 meter)

Maximum Endurance

Standard tankage 7 hour 10 min

Maximum range (zero payload)

Standard tankage 775 nm (1435 km)

Min Landing / Takeoff distance STOL

Takeoff to 50 ft 1200 ft (366 meter)

Landing from 50 ft 1050 ft (320 meter)

Everything? Probably not. Everything you mentioned above? Yes.

Perhaps your FSX has been tweaked with one of the several snake oil mods that mullahs the kneeboard..?

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Well, if you haven't, then a reinstall is in your future.

Everything? Probably not. Everything you mentioned above? Yes.

Perhaps your FSX has been tweaked with one of the several snake oil mods that mullahs the kneeboard..?

Like I said prior to you spending the time to post the kneeboard, they are just numbers, mostly minimums and maximums. I know this, I have this.

What I am looking for is some practical "How To" info.

For instance, How to perform at normal takeoff.

Given gross weight, given amount of fuel on board, sealevel, 59 deg f, zero wind

Kinda like full power, 20 degrees flaps, rotate at 82 Kts, climb out at 90 kts, reduce power . . . . . . vmc = ____ kts.

This is what I am looking for. Thanks. Surely, some of you sim pilots have figured it out already.

RayM

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Like I said prior to you spending the time to post the kneeboard, they are just numbers, mostly minimums and maximums. I know this, I have this.

What I am looking for is some practical "How To" info.

For instance, How to perform at normal takeoff.

Given gross weight, given amount of fuel on board, sealevel, 59 deg f, zero wind

Kinda like full power, 20 degrees flaps, rotate at 82 Kts, climb out at 90 kts, reduce power . . . . . . vmc = ____ kts.

This is what I am looking for. Thanks. Surely, some of you sim pilots have figured it out already.

RayM

Manual p.26 seems to fulfill all your requirements, in conjunction with the more complex `numbers` that you seem to want to disregard from the kneeboard.

This is not a complicated aircraft. It is a STOL aircraft that is used in a any number of different situations. As the manual says in a single page, one doesn't really need anything more complex than that and if you're looking for something more, then perhaps you're over-thinking it and need to move on from the `airliner` mindset..?

And the numbers quoted on the kneeboard are MORE than just `max` and `min` that you so quickly dismiss: THEY ARE THE OPERATING NUMBERS.

If you operate to those numbers, your well within operating parameters. Stay with the single page on the manual, you are well within operating parameters. After that, it's for you as a pilot to explore and adapt, precisely as you would in a GA plane. As the manual mentions, reverse thrust in flight is not recommended, yet is often used in those situations that demand it. Flap settings are dictated by the style and place of landing. If you're mixing it with the Big Boys Toys at a major international hub, keep it well up to 120 knots until you cross the threshold, then drop it into beta (not reverse) drop out first notch of flap, and plonk it down, make use of the STOL and get off the runway... coming in over a steep approach over tall trees into a little grass strip, bang the flaps out early, stay high, then use moderate power and power reductin to conduct a steep approach, maintaining the numbers on the kneeboard... it's no more complicated than that. If you use the numbers on p.26 your approaches may not be as fast and late, or short and steep, but they are well within boundaries.

After that, it's a STOL aircraft. Keep it above 50 knots and it flies. Fly to suit.

The ONLY complexity to operating the Twotter is the slow spool response to power-up or power-down demands. Common knowledge for PT6 operations: You don't `apply full power` on a turbine aircraft, you `advance the power levers to the stipulated or required torque setting`. Flaps are simply as you need. With that and knowledge of the GPS unit you have all you need to know at your fingertips, providing you actually bother to read the information, which you clearly haven't.

The only other possible recommendation is to invest in one of those flying videos that are advertised around the various FS websites. I'm sure there are some showing the Twotter in all its environments. Equally, I'm sure the numbers THEY use won't have much in common with what is on the kneeboard as they use what works for them.

BTW the original DHC manual is renowned for being terrible...

And lest you think I'm being picky and pedantic, here's a REAL WORLD comment to finish on:

Biggest thing is: DO NOT lift off before Vmc!

If you rotate early, it will lift off WELL before Vmc placing you in a very bad spot. Unlike virtually every twin trainer where Vmc is a theoretical value since it is below Vso anyway. This thing will show you a neat snaproll if you are below red line and you lose an engine.

Other than that, the PT-6 is virtually pilot proof, and the airframe is built like a tank (and handles like one too).

Hope this helps.

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Manual p.26 seems to fulfill all your requirements, in conjunction with the more complex `numbers` that you seem to want to disregard from the kneeboard.

This is not a complicated aircraft. It is a STOL aircraft that is used in a any number of different situations. As the manual says in a single page, one doesn't really need anything more complex than that and if you're looking for something

Hope this helps.

It does help. Thanks very much.

Ray

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