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PRB
May 3rd, 2009, 06:44
What makes a flying boat steerable on the water with the use of the rudder pedals if it doesn’t have a water rudder defined in the contact points section (class=5)?

The Alphasim Martin PBM Mariner has no water rudder, yet is easily steered on the water by using the rudders. The Grumman HU-16 Albatross by Greg Pepper does not steer at all on the water, and also doesn’t have a water rudder contact point. The Bill Lyons Grumman Goose, on the other hand, does have a water rudder defined, and does steer very well using the rudders.

Is the ability to steer on the water (with rudders) a feature built into the model, or is there something I can do in the aircraft.cfg to make it steer?

Milton Shupe
May 3rd, 2009, 08:09
Paul,

The model does not have to have a visual steering device.

Simply add 1-2 contact points positioned rearward where a water rudder might be.

Those without steered using differential power as with many with rudders and taildraggers with a castoring tailwheel.

You can copy the contact points out of any other aircraft with class 5 contact points. Use a navred light to help position the rudders.

I have an HU-16 I think that was based on Pepper's model. It has the following for class 5 rudders.

point.14= 5, -20.000, -30.000, -10.000, 3000.000, 0.000, 0.000, 25.000, 0.000, 0.000, 1.000, 1.100, 1.500, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000
point.15= 5, -20.000, 30.000, -10.000, 3000.000, 0.000, 0.000, 25.000, 0.000, 0.000, 1.000, 1.100, 1.500, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000

Maybe you can use these as a starting point. Remember you have to lower the rudders for them to be effective. See the key commands for that.

PRB
May 3rd, 2009, 08:41
Ahh, thanks, Milton! I tried adding a class=5 contact point, but it didn’t seem to work, but I forgot you have to lower them! After putting them in the water they work just fine! Hmm, I’ve been told before that I “don’t have all my oars in the water” … I wonder if this is what they meant… :icon_lol:
:ernae: