ATR 72-500 Climb Performance

[AlexCohrs 0]

Hi guys,

on my system, climb performance of the ATR 72-500 appears to be very low and certainly not matching the real world ATR. When setting everything for climb speed 200 KIAS, at around FL100, I only get 500 fpm. At FL150, I hardly get any climb anymore with 200 KIAS. What also looks strange is that the Torque display only shows 68. Condition levers are set to AUTO and PWR Management to Climb.

I am currently running X-Plane 10.11 final on my iMac.

Could you guys help me with any advices?

Alex

[pierre6969 1]

Hi,

I have almost the same problem, so to reach my level cruise i proceed like this : I take off full throttle and PWR MGT on TO. I climb in IAS mode at 160 Kts (VS is between 2000 and 1500) PWR MGT on CLB. At FL 100 I switch in VS mode at 1000 ft/min, still full throttle. At this point my plane speeds up slowly to 200 kts. Compare with the Aicraft performance you can see below it's not so fare the reality.

Pierre.

http://contentzone.eurocontrol.int/aircraftperformance/details.aspx?cgn=&cg=&ICAO=AT72&GroupFilter=12&NameFilter=atr&ICAOFilter=

[Ruhrpilot07 15]

I only know the ATR 72 from photographs, I have never used it in a simulator, nor have I been an ATR72 passenger until today.

But this is a prop a/c. Thus, I wouldn't expect jet climb rates in this a/c.

@ Alex: Is this the first two-engine a/c that you've ever flown in a simulator? Hopefully not. Let me tell you my experience with two-engine prop a/c in a PC-simulator.

Beechcraft Baron 58 fs9

Beechcraft King Air 350 fs9

Beechcraft Baron 58 fsx

Grumman Goose fsx.

These a/c don't climb like a rocket. And they don't have a pressurized cabin, ... But they have almost the same config as longhaul jets. A B744 does not climb either like a rocket when fully loaded. So, you'll have to find the balance between tora, t/o weight and your desired range. You have a special flight for which you don't know the procedures (fuel, pax on board, etc)?

Let me know your dep and your arr, and I'll try to help you with your climb rate (you better don't expect more than a 800 climb rate, even a B744 does not achieve much more on flights that need the full B744 tank capacity...)

If you don't need 100% of the ATR 72-500 range (not more than 700 nmi max. + reserve), then I'd try to only use the fuel for 1 leg, i.e. you'll have to order your return fuel separately.

700 nmi is not much. E.g. I wouldn't fly EDDL - LIRF with ATR72, you always need 1 or 2 lbs of fuel more than you've expected...

[AlexCohrs 0]

Hi guys,

thank you for your replies. Let's see if we can get a bit further on this problem:

I am frequently flying the Dash Q400 by FlyJSim, so I am used to Turboprops in my sim and never experienced any problems with them. Also, I don't expect a climb performance like a jet aircraft, but at least ANY climb performance at all. As described above, at FL150 with 200 IAS, I can't get any climb rate anymore - and that is certainly not realistic. Last time I experienced that problem, I had only trip fuel plus reserves on board and a very low payload. So loading does not seem to be a factor here.

I was about to think that maybe I should reduce the IAS from 200 to, let's say, 160 even above FL100 to keep up a higher climb rate. But take a look onto the table that Pierre posted: At FL150, with 210 knots IAS, approx. 1000 fpm can be expected. Now again my situation: At FL150, with only 200 knots IAS, 0 fpm - with full throttle, PWR MGT on Climb and low payload.

So I'd rather tend to think that this is a mistake of the flight model. However, as I am the first customer to report that, I see only two possibilities: Either there are not many ATR 72 customers here in this forum - or I am really the only one (besides of Pierre) to have this problem.

It would be great to also get a developers feedback here, as currently the aircraft is not really usable.

Alex

[atgcab 2]

Hi guys,

thank you for your replies. Let's see if we can get a bit further on this problem:

I am frequently flying the Dash Q400 by FlyJSim, so I am used to Turboprops in my sim and never experienced any problems with them. Also, I don't expect a climb performance like a jet aircraft, but at least ANY climb performance at all. As described above, at FL150 with 200 IAS, I can't get any climb rate anymore - and that is certainly not realistic. Last time I experienced that problem, I had only trip fuel plus reserves on board and a very low payload. So loading does not seem to be a factor here.

I was about to think that maybe I should reduce the IAS from 200 to, let's say, 160 even above FL100 to keep up a higher climb rate. But take a look onto the table that Pierre posted: At FL150, with 210 knots IAS, approx. 1000 fpm can be expected. Now again my situation: At FL150, with only 200 knots IAS, 0 fpm - with full throttle, PWR MGT on Climb and low payload.

So I'd rather tend to think that this is a mistake of the flight model. However, as I am the first customer to report that, I see only two possibilities: Either there are not many ATR 72 customers here in this forum - or I am really the only one (besides of Pierre) to have this problem.

It would be great to also get a developers feedback here, as currently the aircraft is not really usable.

Alex

Once I asked the test pilot (who is a real ATR 72 captain) about the clim speeds and climb rates, because I was making tests with Max weight and high outside temperatures (30º), and I was finding that the climb speed and climb rate were too low. And his answer was this:

"The performance you are describing is close to reality when OAT is +30°C and Max Weight.

Using VS 1300 fpm will NOT work at this Weight Altitude Temp (WAT).

Here is a review of a normal take-off on ATR75 for a departure at sea level and 30°C;

1. before take-off set the ADU modes as follows;

HDG LO BANK IAS

set the initial speed to 120 which is V2 + 5

2. apply TO power to TQ 90%

3. rotate to 7° NU

4. at positive climb, set GEAR UP then engage AP, the climb will stabilize at 120

5. climb at 120 KIAS up to Acceleration Altitude (we use 800' in our company) you can accelerate from 400 feet or above.

6. at 800 feet increase IAS to 140 on the ADU (140 is the VL0 or white bug speed = best angle of climb)

and because your model is not yet a fully ATR72-500 you have to manipulate the PL and CL like the old ATR72

- then adjust the PWR MGT to CLB position

7. at 140 let the climb stabilize at 140 (you will see an increase of VS), retract flap to zero ONLY AFTER you see an increase of VS.

Here there is a noticeable sink and it will drop to about 500 fpm (this is normal)

8. wait till the flaps is retracted to zero and again stabilize in the new climb at 140 and F0°.

9. your next target speed is 170 and here you will have another sink and it you don't pay attention it can become a descent (same in the airplane)

10. the best way to do it is to select VS +500 and let the speed increase to 170

11. at 170 select IAS again and continue climb normally at 170, this is the normal climb speed, if you maintain 170 precisely you will see your VS increase again.

The nose should be 5°NU and the TQ will start decreasing every 1000 feet".

...

Climb speeds and climb rates varies very much depending on weight and temperature. In fact, the 500 model has serious limitations in hot conditions. ATR has improved this in the 600 series.

Regards

[AlexCohrs 0]

Excellent, thank you for these useful advices, will try it with the next flight.