Level Flight

[kenuck]

What is the "secret" to achieving any aircraft keeping a level flight?, Ive found only one plane ( Hawker Hunter) where,  from the cockpit you can set and hold the altitude, by "setting" I really mean holding the altitude, on just about every other craft Ive tried, this includes the default ones with SFX I am forever trimming up and down on the joystick, more than likely my settings will be incorrect, but Ive tried just about every way I can find, any and all help greatly appreciated...TIA....Cheers

[snippyfsxer]

Man, you need to explore some of the material that comes with the game.  Try the Learning Center: it has all that basic tutorial stuff.  You aren't ready to be flying at Mach 2 just yet...  :-/

[Lilin]

Basically, airflow changes around the aircraft... this changes and thus increases and decreases lift... You must literally constantly trim the aircraft to maintain level flight, its easier than holding the stick, but its still required... watch your trim wheel when the alt hold autopilot setting is on... its back and forth a lot. Thats what the autopilot does... it modifies the trims for the pitch, yaw, and roll, to maintain heading and altitude.

The hunter may have a simple alt hold and heading hold autopilot ... not sure, never flown one. Either way, that may be the autopilot trimming itself... rather than setting it and leaving it.


(Also hi, I'm new )

[machineman9]

Besides from using full auto-pilot, trimming is the best method. Trim maintains your attitude, and it's like someone is resting on the controls for you. Just keep an eye on your altimeter and adjust trim (and speed) to maintain your altitude.

As well put by Lilin, the airflow is constantly changing around the aircraft. Less so in flight sim (unless you have weather turned on) and so when you go through clouds or over fields or by mountains, or just generally anywhere, the pressures will change and so will your altitude.

Trim is a 'rough guess' at where you should be, then add minor corrections through the main controls if you have to. And remember to reset the trim for landing!

[Capt.Propwash]

there is no "true" "level" flight. you will ALWAYS have a 'nose up' condition due to the lift being created as air flows over the fuseloge and wings.

[snippyfsxer]

[quote]there is no "true" "level" flight. you will ALWAYS have a 'nose up' condition due to the lift being created as air flows over the fuseloge and wings.

[Capt.Propwash]

slew is unrealistic

[Lilin]

And Editing your aircraft's flight dynamics, and the air's properties to make flying easier isnt?

[Capt.Propwash]

when the designer creates/builds the aircraft, they give the airplane its characteristics. Sometimes the characteristics that the designer give it, is unrealistic. like it trims too fast, or way too slow.

[EVVFCX]

With your nose up and your climbing?
Just back off a bit on the throttle.
If Jet Airliner try autopilot first to give you level flight, i.e. height speed and attitude constant, then don't touch anything but turn off all the autopilot.

Check N1 value on engine panel, make a note of it, if you now increase throttle, you should start to climb if your not at max height.
Now very slowly throttle back to the N1 value you had before.

Now assuming FSX models air density correctly and you have throttled back slow enough, your aircraft should return to level flight at roughly the same height as it was with autopilot on with little/no change to attitude.

Basically what I'm suggesting, is that you throttle back slowly and slightly and watch for the aircrafts response.
You should be able to get no height change flight.

[snippyfsxer]

Jeez, Propwash thought I was serious about 'Slew' mode....

I say again, Kenuck, you need to look at Learning Center Lesson 1: Straight and Level Flight