Simviation Forums

Hi, I have a couple of questions regarding amphibious aircraft in FS2004.

First of all, is there a default keyboard command for raising/lowering floats? and under what conditions (if any) will they not work? - I guess that's two questions in one

Secondly, when I land on the water with a couple of amphibious planes and turn off the engines, then restart them, the plane won't move; it's like I dropped a boat anchor; the engines at full throttle but no forward motion, and I have to quit the flight. Any suggestions?

Cheers!

Welcome to SimV,

1) Can't remember if there is a default keypress for water rudder. Open the Controls>Assignments and find 'Water rudder up/down' and assign key(s). I use (Shift+W) which is available. While there, make an assignment for 'Wing fold/unfold', (Shift+F) is available.

2) You might be stuck on an 'invisible' runway/taxiway. Slew to another spot and try again.

Thanks for that

What are these "invisible" runways? I can't really slew because I can't move the plane at all.

In FS9, if addon or modified airports are designed for ai traffic then it is necessary to create 'invisible' hard (concrete) runways for the ai aircraft. It's possible to get hung up on these.

Can you give an example of an aircraft and airport where you are having this problem?

You can slew anytime. Open the FS9 Learning Center>Index tab and check the 'Slewing' topic.

Dave

It's actually in the water that the aircraft gets "stuck". I'm taking off from Seattle and landing in a water area a short distance away, and when I stop the engines and start them again, the plane won't move at all.

Sorry, I guess I caused a little confusion using 'airport' to refer to a seaplane base. The 'invisible' runways are part of an ai configured seaplane base.

Are you landing at a Seattle area seaplane base or just the open water?   And what are the amphibious ac you're having trouble with?

Sometimes these planes load with the gear down... "gear up" should be part of your water-takeoff checklist anyway.

Thanks for the replies. I'm flying a very nice detailed Grumman Goose at the moment, and I'm taking off from an airport and landing in open water.

FS9 has annoyingly (sticky water) and it takes alot of throttle to get moving, apparently it has been fixed in FSX but for those of us still waiting to get the rigs to run FSX......we are stuck with sticky water  ::)

[quote]FS9 has annoyingly (sticky water) and it takes alot of throttle to get moving, apparently it has been fixed in FSX but for those of us still waiting to get the rigs to run FSX......we are stuck with sticky water

If you hear about please pass it along  ;)

I think it must have something to do with the airplane you are flying.

I tried it with the default Cessna Amphib. and with "Cutter's Goose" and didn't have the problem you describe with either one. I was landing in open water not the Seattle sea drome.

Have you tried the default Cessna ?

Might try it to see.

Oh yeah - as to the first question you asked - I'm not aware of any keyboard command to raise/lower floats.  Look at the "readme" for the airplane in question to see what they suggest you use.  

Thanks, I'll try the Cessna, and a different body of water to land on.

But there's still that annoying problem where planes get stuck on water and they won't take off again :-/

[quote]Oh yeah - as to the first question you asked - I'm not aware of any keyboard command to raise/lower floats.