Starliner V2.1 bugs & questions

Thanks, Stefan, I was using that icon to set them but as I said they jump back as soon as I use the start switch.

My automixture setting is always off/unchecked but I was referring to the settings in the aircraft.cfg.

It is no worry, I can survive on using M== in sequence but I'm intrigued that others are able to do what I cannot.

Best wishes,

John

John: Do you have one or more levers assigned to the mixture(s) If yes then I would suspect that this is where the problem comes from. To test that theory I would remove that axis assignment temporarily at least and see if she then behaves normal.
Another option if you have a registered copy of FSUIPC is to use that program for the axis calibration. I use Saiteks latest ProFlight Yoke and an additional quadrant and always leave about 5% of the stroke at each end as a buffer...so that 95-100% stroke always equal 100% Rich. Because if there is even the slightest flicker in the axis the sim will position the levers according to the hardware and not the SM or even the virtual levers.

The other thing to look for may be if you have any "old" L1649A.cab files anywhere in the FS structure....sometimes the sim seems to be lazy and open the first file with a name and not really the one you might want.

Mike: Initially the same test...axis mis-behaviour can cause strange effects. I would probably eliminate all axis assignments and check cowl flaps at 30% for takeoff....and then use the VCs throttle levers (just to the right of the 4 black levers is a red one called "throttle lock" which links all 4 engines)

And definitely make sure that all the v2.1 files are in the correct places from the readme...and no old same name files are accidentally loaded.

The older versions used a "hidden drag" value to keep things in check speed wise....this has been largely eliminated in V2.1 or accomplished in a much more elegant and unintrusive way.

Alas I'm one of those poor people that survives on a joystick and keyboard - perhaps Santa will fix that for me, ha ha! I control the mixture levers using keyboard, mouse or that icon, so I don't think that is the issue.

I've done a quick look for old gauges but will look again deeper later.

But as Mike says, this isn't the time of year for you to waste time worrying about trivialities of this sort, and it isn't anything crucial enough to stop me enjoying flying the Starliner.

Look! Tom has even awarded me the Grand Order of the Starliner under my username!

With best wishes,

John

Mike: If you are getting MAP 57-58" and 2600-2900 RPM even with cowl flaps wide open she should easily get above that speed once the wheels are up.
I know because I did that just yesterday as I was doing some performance tests for the new tables Howard is creating....and I had re-do one of the TOW cycles because I realized the error half way through the climb.

Let's try this....NOT AS A FIX...only as a test to see if Spoilers have anything to do with the problem since you mentioned them in an earlier post.

1. Make a back-up of your original aircraft.cfg file so you can go back to it later.
2. Double check that you made the back-up
3. Open the aircraft.cfg in a text editor and find the following lines in the
[airplane geometry] section about 2/3s down the file:

~
spoiler_limit = 70.000 <<<<< ----- Change this one to = 00.001
aileron_to_spoileron_gain = 0.000
spoiler_handle_available = 1 // HJN 0503
min_ailerons_for_spoilerons = 0.000
min_flaps_for_spoilerons = 0.000
spoilerons_available = 0
auto_spoiler_available=0
spoiler_extension_time=8.000000
positive_g_limit_flaps_up=4.068376
positive_g_limit_flaps_down=2.000000
~

4. Make the change at the line with the <<<<< and save the file and give her a testflight. IF she flies ok now at least we'll know something triggers the spoiler drag. But normally you would see the main wheels hanging in the breeze then...but who knows.

The only other thing I can think of is that despite getting the correct RPMS your prop pitch is actually not correct....but I'll try that on my end and see if I can re-create it.

John: Congrats on the upgraded status.....I am quite a few away from that holy grail ;D
If you are not using hardware for the mixtures I am baffled what could be moving them. I did experiment a little the other day and I have found that on one occasion at a standard day setting 15C / 29.92" #3 did not want to start and did give me the "correct" but curious indication to check mixture position via the Tooltip after setting them via the SM icon in the first place. I reduced the #3 mixture towards lean using the mouse in this case, re-checking the tooltip ever so often and about at the AUTO LEAN position #3 was found to be happy...and started right up. The other three engines however were immediately happy with the initial position.

Since I only managed to get that situation once....and was admittedly not following the checklist I'll have to experiment a bit more to come up with a possible error in my flow.

Then again....my real Saratoga only has one IO-540 on it....and sometimes she just doesn't feel like starting again for a second flight in one day Usually that happens only at the very busy Camarillo ramp on a Saturday after a $200 Tri-Tip Lunch....when everyone is looking.
But after threatening to trade her for any Cessna product she can usually be convinced to roar to life.

Edit: Ooooops totally fogot....Merry Xmas to each and everyone of you here. May 2009 be a much better year for all of us.

Sunny -
I tried your suggestion and it worked beautifully.
I tried to update my earlier post to say so, but I musta pushed a wrong button somewhere.
Out of SeaTac, my Starliner now reaches V1 at a sensible distance, and after I rotate I am soon in trouble trying to hold the thing back. No visible sign of any unwanted drag-producing bits.
I engaged the AP and climbed to 12500. Stabilised on that, then disengaged the AP, cut power and deployed the speed brake. Worked just like a real one, and when the speed came down I deployed the u/c and retracted it - once again, just like a bought one.
The only different thing I noticed was that my CH Quad cowl flap inc/dec switch is now working in 5% steps, just like the CF icon on the panel.
This Granpa is now very happy his best toy is working properly, but from my time as a SysAdmin, I have never been happy with a fix which still left me wondering about the cause.

Once again, many thanks. Now please stop worrying about me and enjoy your Christmas break.
Cheers
MikeW

Glad to hear that Mike. Given the amount of test flights that were made prior to the release of 2.1 it just had to be something of that nature.
One more note though on the Speedbrake. As mentioned before in the Starliner you have to add Emergency to that name. It is not the same thing as the hydraulically actuated panels on a modern jet's wings or the flow disruptors on some of the sleeker GA airplanes.

In general you want to fly the Starliner in a way that you never need the speedbrake at all.

Stefan