ArrCab Won't Launch Nose Gear Aircraft

TARPSBird

TARPSBird

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Staff member
For many years I've used Rich Hogan's ArrCab 2.6 utility to do carrier ops in FS9. Usually I don't use the catapult launch feature since most of my Navy planes are taildraggers and ArrCab won't launch them. Last night I tried to launch the Alphasim T-28C which is a legit nose gear aircraft and the catapult will arm, but when I release the parking brake the cat doesn't fire and the plane just starts to roll down the deck. ArrCab status shows it's connected to FSUIPC. Any suggestions for troubleshooting?
 
Motormouse said:
Have you got launch zones defined ?
Click to expand...
In ArrCab you just need cable catch zones. The cat launch feature is enabled when you're in close proximity to one of the cable catch zones. I set the parking brake on the aircraft, arm the catapult, ArrCab msg confirms cat is armed, I release the parking brake and I should hear a clunk and then cat stroke noise as the aircraft is fired down the cat track but when I release the brake. I get no sound effects and the plane just starts to roll like it normally would after brake release. I assume the program is interfacing OK with FSUIPC or it wouldn't know where my cable catch zones are. When I've used the launch feature before it's always worked. Maybe a Windows 10 issue?
 
Let me try and I'll get back to you.
Which carrier are you using? :unsure:

It should work. The only time I've had problems with ARRCAB is when the DECK HEIGTH in the .dat file is wrong or if there's a layering issue with the BGL.
It doesn't have to be wrong by a lot. If you have Traffic Tools installed, run the Airport List sub-proggy and verify the altitude of the flight deck.
 
So, its not the plane. :unsure:

I tried the Alpha T-28's and the T-34's and while they shouldn't launch or trap, they work fine with ARRCAB.
I used the Abe Lincoln near Miramar (Carriers 2006) which was my old "problem child" scenery and everything worked just fine. :indecisiveness:

If ARRCAB is saying you're all set but nothing happens, its probably a layering issue with the scenery.

To fix it, you have a couple of options. Fix the layering issue if you have one. You might need to add a flatten BGL to a scenery layer above (in terms of the scenery layer numbers).

You could also try what I call the YOLO method:

Open your arrcab DAT file in Notepad and find the carrier.

[Zone02]
CarrierIdent=CVN-72 Abraham Lincoln near San Diego
FrontRightCornerLat = 32.54066667
FrontRightCornerLon = -117.2743333
FrontLeftCornerLat = 32.5405
FrontLeftCornerLon = -117.2741667
BackLeftCornerLat = 32.54083333
BackLeftCornerLon = -117.274
BackRightCornerLat = 32.54083333
BackRightCornerLon = -117.2743333
DeckAltInFeet = 67.04
CableCatchZoneHeightInFeet = 2.4
RunwayHeadingInDegreesMag = 187

You can try adding or subtracting some altitude in 2 foot increments OR try making the Catch Zone Height higher or lower.
Either way, you're essentially guessing and hoping your blind squirrel can find the acorn.
 
TBird, one other thing I can think of. :geek:

Are you sure you're lined up and ready to launch?
ARRCAB, to me, is mostly automatic and I don't even think about it.
Much younger me would struggle with it at times. :ROFLMAO:

ARRCAB needs three parameters to fire the catapult.

Heading. You're lined up within (roughly) 20 degrees of the deck.

Brakes. PARKING BRAKE is set before you hit <shift> <F9> to enable the catapult.

Power. Throttle is set to at least 95% max power. This one can be tricky with radial engines and variable pitch props.
 
One last thing I thought about. :geek:

If you have the Alphasim Sikorsky S-55 installed (and who doesn't?) you can figure out the true altitude of the carrier deck.

Start at a known-good airport, usually a default, with the S-55 sitting on the runway or the apron.
The altimeter on the S-55 has a neat function where you can hover your mouse over it and it will display the altitude in digits.
Write this number down and compare it to the altitude FS lists on the Navmap. You want to be able to measure the true altitude at your problem carrier. You should see the offset between the true altitude and the S-55's COG. Remember to hit the <b> key to zero out your altimeter.

Now, load your problem carrier and use the same trick to see how high the flight deck REALLY is. THIS is the number you'll need for that ARRCAB Dat file, assuming you don't have to add a flatten BGL. You only need to be within a foot or so of the number in that Dat file to get ARRCAB to work.

Sorry for the long-winded reply. I'm pretty sure other folks may be dealing with the same problem. :whistle:
 
Sbob, I installed the Carriers 2006 package last night to see if I was able to catapult from those carriers. Apparently I had the package on a previous install of FS9 because the cable catch entries are in my ArrCab .dat file but something ain't right. My .dat file entry for the Abraham Lincoln is the exact same as in your post above, but my Lincoln shows up further north. Geo coordinates between the 2 and 3 wire on my ship are 33.25 N, 117.75W. Did I do something wrong? And I also wonder where the cable catch zones came from originally because they didn't come with the Carriers 2006 package and even at my age I would remember making all those zones for all those CV's.
 
That's because I copy/pasted the wrong entry. :giggle:
That one is for a carrier close to San Diego, not the one listed as "Miramar".
I just wanted to show where the deck alt. stuff was and what it did.

I posted my full ARRCAB Dat file a couple of times, maybe that's where you got it?

Anyway, I'd still bet a mini-donut to a dollar that you're dealing with a scenery layering/Flatten issue.

:ernaehrung004:
 
Sbob said:
That's because I copy/pasted the wrong entry. :giggle:
That one is for a carrier close to San Diego, not the one listed as "Miramar".
I just wanted to show where the deck alt. stuff was and what it did.
Click to expand...
Yes, your ArrCab .dat entry for the San Diego carrier is indeed closer to Miramar than where my C2K6 Abraham Lincoln showed up - closer to San Clemente Island than Miramar. I'm still wondering how I got that same identical entry in my .dat file...? :confused:
Anyway, at this point I think I've spent enough manhours on the ArrCab problem. Thanks a lot for your assistance.
I'm going to try Rob Barendregt's RCBCO gauge package with the nose gear planes and see how that works. Once I can finally launch a plane I'll be happy. :D
 
If you've got an elevation/flatten/layering issue, I don't think switching to RCBO will help.

Both systems trip the trap/braking effect when the hook is in the right location and altitude.
FS is what figures this out. If the carrier is "sitting high", it will never trip.

Which carrier are you working on? I might already have a flatten BGL to fix it.
 
Good news! I finally discovered the problem today. Full power on my joystick throttle was only going up to 92%. When I advanced the throttle in the VC (not with the joystick) the power was 100% for real and the aircraft launched with no problem. I lowered the "null" setting for the joystick and now it advances to 98% and I can launch planes (at least the nose gear types). :encouragement:
Forgot to mention... I was using the late Paul Clawson's USS Stennis (CV-74) for all this messing around. It's positioned offshore, south of downtown San Diego, closer to Imperial Beach. I also have his prewar USS Lexington (CV-2) which is right in the middle of San Diego harbor, south of the Coronado Bridge.
 
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