Simviation Forums

I know the whole point is to go up in the air... but what I mean is, I wont even give any imput on the controls and the plane pitches up on its own. I try trimming, but that seems to only work for a second or 2, then it does it again. I have to keep constant pressure to hold the nose down. My stick is calibrated correctly so I know thats not the problem. This has happened with more than one plane, and they are all planes Ive recently flown. Anyone else see this problem?

Sounds like your trim needs adjusted...

If trimming nose down doesn't help and the joystick is okay, all I can think of is making sure the autopilot is off.

And you're not at full throttle all the time.  

Well, as I said in the original post.... trimming the aircraft really doesnt fix the problem. Its like I can trim it, but it just goes right back to what it was doing. Speed, throttle position... doesnt matter, still does it. I know ap is not on because it starts doing it right from takeoff.

Well, as I said in the original post.... trimming the aircraft really doesnt fix the problem. Its like I can trim it, but it just goes right back to what it was doing. Speed, throttle position... doesnt matter, still does it. I know ap is not on because it starts doing it right from takeoff.

That really sounds like an autopilot being turned  on. The autopilot can be on at the beginning of a flight.. whether or not you saved it that way. I rarely use the AP, and have found it mysteriously "on" at the beginning of a flight.

Just make checking the AP as part of your start-up checklist...

Maybe so, I will double check before takeoff now. Just a bit strange because I can still control the aircraft like normal, just need that constant pressure to keep the nose down! Didnt work out well for the 747. Just went up, and kept going till it got 0 kias and just fell like a brick!

This has happened to me in the learjet but i was using a crap joystick at first and it kinda snapped

But i still battle with it, try trimming again and also try the AP

I know the whole point is to go up in the air... but what I mean is, I wont even give any imput on the controls and the plane pitches up on its own. I try trimming, but that seems to only work for a second or 2, then it does it again. I have to keep constant pressure to hold the nose down. My stick is calibrated correctly so I know thats not the problem. This has happened with more than one plane, and they are all planes Ive recently flown. Anyone else see this problem?

You problem is actually the trim setting. As you said, "seems to only work for a second or 2", reason is because you're increasing in speed and thus your plane starts to lift it's nose. Pilots set trim based on the current speed of the aircraft inorder to keep the nose level. If you increase speed the nose will drift up, if you decrease speed the nose will start to drift down. This is what you are experiencing, so the good news is the sim is doing what it's supposed to do!

You will have to continuously readjust your trim until you can maintain a specific speed. But your problem is most definitely that you are not continuously readjusting your trim for increases in airspeed. I can tell this just by the comment "seems to only work for a second or 2" because, well, if your airspeed is increasing it will only take a "second or 2" for the nose to start drifting up again .

In real life, pilots dont have to readjust their trim settings as much as virtual pilots do. It's just the way flight physics is modeled in the sim.

Just strange because I have never had this happen before, and I have been flying many, many different types of aircraft for quite some time. Just 2 days a go I flew a repainted, but otherwise default 747 and never once had to trim more than a click or 2. The next day, I fly the very same 747, and this problem occured. I guess I just dont see how the trim would just suddenly go out of whack? Plus, I can be decreasing airspeed and it still pitches up.

You never know, it may have been the ground crew, mechanics, or technicians checking stuff in the cockpit while you weren't looking...

Checklists are there for a reason...

Plus, I can be decreasing airspeed and it still pitches up.

That is interesting because that is the exact opposite of what should happen.

Do you have alot add-ons installed on the sim? Would you mind re-tweaking your config file if you've done any tweaks to it? If you're 100% sure there is nothing wrong with the stick, and it's calibrated correctly, I would say the first thing to try is deleting the config file from your fsx folder. After deleting, the first time you fire up the sim the program will automatically regenerate a fresh & clean config file. If that doesn't straghten the problem out you may need to consider uninstalling the sim, deleting all fsx folders from your system and doing a fresh install.

Before doing all that just double check your joystick calibration, senstivities, and deadzones in the joystick's control panel (assuming it has a calibration program of its own). Also check the control settings in the sim through the settings menu in the sim.

Check your joystick... and check your keyboard as well, just to be sure that one of the arrows is not "blocked"

Do you have any buttons on your joystick assigned to increasing trim? Have you spilt anything on your joystick like coffee or similar? I ask because i knocked over a nearly empty can of lager and some went on my joystick base. One of the keys it went all over i had assigned to 'wing fold'

I then discoverd on flying in the sim the green bar at the top of the screen was continualy showing 'wings folding' or 'folded' or whatever it says. realising my spill earlier, i deleted the assignment in the controls menu and the problem went away. Although my joystick button is probably knacked..

I guess the same could occur on a keyboard?

A bit daft of me but the symptoms seem the same, although yours are sporadic rather than continous.

Maybe change the assigment for 'pitch up' trim and see what happens?

I guess the same could occur on a keyboard?

I once spilled a small amount of water into my keyboard, which seemed to short circuit the keys, or something because it messed up several of them.