Question about Flight Replicas Super Cub

[wconkle]

I have the kit that included the bush plane versions, but not the extreme, amphib, or low power versions.
I love the plane and the detail is awesome, but I really dislike the non steering tailwheel. Now my father used to own a Super Cub ('58 model) and I grew up around them, but I can't remember if they had swiveling or steerable tail wheels. I believe ours was steerable.

Further, the model shows the springs that connect the wheel to the rudder, so I think it should be steerable with the rudder pedals.

At any rate, it is quite difficult to get the aircraft to the threshold as it is, and I would love to somehow modify the code to make it steerable.

Can anybody enlighten me if this is possible and how it would be done? (or is this a setting within the software that I totally missed?)

Thanks a lot! Happy Holidays!

[bstolle]

I grew up with the Super Cub as well, my all time favourite tail dragger!
That's strange as all of the FR Super Cubs do have a steerable tailwheel of course.
Could you please open the aircraft.cfg file and check the first line in the contact points section?
[contact points]
point.0=1, -16,0, 0.0, -0.83, 2500, 0, 0.256, 60.0 < this is the steering angle, .........

Regards

Bernt

[wilycoyote4]

default ---- shift+G ---to lock/unlock tailwheel

perhaps that helps, dunno if VC has a clickable lever or switch

[CodyValkyrie]

... wait, I thought it WAS steerable?

Mine seem to work like that if I remember correctly? I have filmed it several times and had no issues that I recall.

[fliger747]

Mike modeled the basic red cub after (exactly) my real world red 150 hp cub. I had reviewed the flight dynamics, which were in eventuality reworked by Bernt Stolle, like my self an experienced real world aviator.

Indeed the cub does have, after a sort, have t/w steering, however the way that FS implemets this is somewhat unrealistic. The real cub has some springs that link the t/w yoke to the rudder. As a result the connection between the "steering" is quite rubbery and approximate. Past a certain value the tailwheel swivles completely. The cub does not have a t/w lock.

Certainly a compromise, but much close quarters manuvering is done by using brakes and aerodynamic rudder force and breaking the t/w loose. If you set the steering degree to a value other than 180 (which castors) the tw is far to sensitive a a high value which permits sharp turns and not capable of great manuverability (when the t/w breaks loose in castor) if set to a low value.

A compromise certainly, but the castoring t/w seems to best mimic what flying the plane is like.

Cheers: T

[wconkle]

Fliger, I certainly appreciate the difficulty of modeling the tailwheel mechanism in FSX. And I appreciate you letting modelers use your plane!

Unfortunately, since I can only apply the brakes fully on or fully off, I can do a power turn just fine but when taxiing, end up jerking side to side (yes I know IRL you have to taxi a T/W plane in esses, but they don't have the advantage of moveable camera points!).

I wonder if it would be possible to increase the tension in the T/W spring somehow?

I'll take a look at those contact points, here in a few minutes. Thanks for all the responses!

Wes

[edit] : Bernt, my .cfg numbers were a little different, and varied between the two models I have, but both had the angle of 180 degrees.
Coyote, T/W lock didn't have any effect.

[falcon409]

. . . . . .[edit] : Bernt, my .cfg numbers were a little different, and varied between the two models I have, but both had the angle of 180 degrees.
Coyote, T/W lock didn't have any effect.
Yes, that 180 number is the one you should change to what Bernt indicates as "60.0":salute:

[bstolle]

180? this means free castoring.
If you change that to 60 you have a nice steerable tailwheel.
If you apply brakes and push the rudder you do get differential braking as well nevertheless.

[wconkle]

Hey, that did it.

Thanks for solving another one for me!

[allcott]

Fliger, I certainly appreciate the difficulty of modeling the tailwheel mechanism in FSX. And I appreciate you letting modelers use your plane!

Unfortunately, since I can only apply the brakes fully on or fully off, I can do a power turn just fine but when taxiing, end up jerking side to side (yes I know IRL you have to taxi a T/W plane in esses, but they don't have the advantage of moveable camera points!).

I wonder if it would be possible to increase the tension in the T/W spring somehow?

I'll take a look at those contact points, here in a few minutes. Thanks for all the responses!

Wes

[edit] : Bernt, my .cfg numbers were a little different, and varied between the two models I have, but both had the angle of 180 degrees.
Coyote, T/W lock didn't have any effect.

Wes,

That's not right, FSX includes by default the capacity to have incremental brake control of the independent left/right channels - it's keypress duration related if you don't use rudder pedal. So for `light application` it's `press, press, press` and for hard application it's `press and hold`.

Not sure what your problem might be to snafu that particular setting? I've never heard of anyone ever having a problems with it!

[bstolle]

I never heard of the rather strange press, press, press theory before.
You mean 1 press is light braking, 2 successive presses moderate braking etc..?
The only way to avoid locking the brakes when holding the brakes key is to switch on the anti skid first. Have to try the multiple press theory....

[JoeW]

If you do this just right you can leave one wheel in the spot and pivot around.
Advance the throttle slowly and give down elevator while turning the rudder..... with the brake on.
One of the many, many pleasing things about this plane.

[fliger747]

All of these things work much better with pedals which can modulate the individual brake effort. However with the differential braking which diverts the brake effort to each side in proportion to the amount of rudder deflection one can make a lot of quick stabs to give a reduced (intemittent) braking. On my twistie stick that I travel with the brake is mapped to the trigger.

T

[olderndirt]

As Tom, owner of '50C', well knows - all of this differential braking with full caster is made just a little more difficult because real Cub brakes are operated with your heels rather than your toes.

[HighGround22]

.
A new reply to an ancient thread, admittedly, but I managed to put this information to good use today: I recently bought the FR Super Cub package, and discovered that the Amphib steered like a drunken harlot. But applying the magic "60" in lieu of the "180" fixed that perfectly!

Belated thanks, Bernt!

[falcon409]

.
A new reply to an ancient thread, admittedly, but I managed to put this information to good use today: I recently bought the FR Super Cub package, and discovered that the Amphib steered like a drunken harlot. But applying the magic "60" in lieu of the "180" fixed that perfectly!
Belated thanks, Bernt!
Yep, all the info posted is correct, bstolle gave him the first answer and the one that is most often sited as the easiest for what he originally wanted. What it comes down to is this. . . .if the first line, eighth position of the [contact_points] is 180, change it to 60 and you'll have tailwheel steering. Very simple. Done.:salute:

[fliger747]

For ski flying you definitly need the steerable T/W. Did some ski flying the other day and I would estimate that the 60 deg, or perhaps even better a 40 deg setting in the cfg file would best mimic this, no single wheel pivots on straight skis!

Cheers: T

[Bobr2]

I bought the amphibian cubs from Flight Replica and when opening them up in flight sim to fly, the red and white one will not open though the yellow one works fine. Any help on this one?