Down the rabbit hole..

[Bjoern]

Looks like I was wrong about the condition levers. Autostart sets them to 40%, not 100%.


Here's a gauge to set the prop and throttle levers during the start sequence.


There's a ready for use version attached to this post.

Here's the manual install for those unwilling to register and or read-only mode:

<Gauge Name="Prop And Throttle Control At Startup">
<Macro Name="FinePitchPct">0</Macro>
<Macro Name="ThrottlePct">0</Macro>
<Element>
<Select>
<Value>
(A:GENERAL ENG STARTER:1,bool) (A:GENERAL ENG COMBUSTION:1,bool) ! and 
if{  (A:GENERAL ENG PROPELLER LEVER POSITION:1,percent) @FinePitchPct  > if{ @FinePitchPct 16383 * (>K:PROP_PITCH1_SET) } 
    (A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:1,percent) @ThrottlePct > if{ @ThrottlePct 16383 * (>K:THROTTLE1_SET) } }

(A:GENERAL ENG STARTER:2,bool) (A:GENERAL ENG COMBUSTION:2,bool) ! and 
if{  (A:GENERAL ENG PROPELLER LEVER POSITION:2,percent) @FinePitchPct  > if{ @FinePitchPct 16383 * (>K:PROP_PITCH2_SET) } 
    (A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:2,percent) @ThrottlePct > if{ @ThrottlePct 16383 * (>K:THROTTLE2_SET) } }

(A:GENERAL ENG STARTER:3,bool) (A:GENERAL ENG COMBUSTION:3,bool) ! and 
if{  (A:GENERAL ENG PROPELLER LEVER POSITION:3,percent) @FinePitchPct  > if{ @FinePitchPct 16383 * (>K:PROP_PITCH3_SET) } 
    (A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:3,percent) @ThrottlePct > if{ @ThrottlePct 16383 * (>K:THROTTLE3_SET) } }

(A:GENERAL ENG STARTER:4,bool) (A:GENERAL ENG COMBUSTION:4,bool) ! and 
if{  (A:GENERAL ENG PROPELLER LEVER POSITION:4,percent) @FinePitchPct  > if{ @FinePitchPct 16383 * (>K:PROP_PITCH4_SET) } 
    (A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:4,percent) @ThrottlePct > if{ @ThrottlePct 16383 * (>K:THROTTLE4_SET) } }
</Value>
</Select>
</Element>
<Copyright>BK, 09/2017</Copyright>
</Gauge>

The macros control the fine pitch limit, in case you need a value other than zero (percent). Just change the numbers to suit.

Copy above code and paste it into an empty text file, then save it as "PropStart.xml". Put the XML file into a folder named "PropStart", add it to your aircraft's "panel" folder.

Add this to the panel.cfg, to the [VCockpit01] (and [Window00], if flying from the 2D panel):

gaugeNN=PropStart!PropStart,1,1,1,1

Change the "NN" to the next number in the gauge sequence.


Now when you start the aircraft, either with autostart or manually, the prop pitch and throttle levers will reset to the values given in the gauge. This only happens while the starter is engaged and the engine is not yet running, so after that, you've got full control again.

Another workaround is editing the value for fuel_flow_gain in the aircraft.cfg.

fuel_flow_gain          = 0.005                 //Gain on fuel flow

The default turboprops use 0.011. With 0.005 and the gauge, not even a very light C208 will budge during startup, despite not using parking brakes and modified (lower) ground friction values. Comes at the cost of a generally reduced engine spoolup speed.


Hope this helps.

 

[BendyFlyer]

Bjoern what a great fix, thank you very much. I have a number of turboprops that need this adjustment. Great find. That and the contact points etc will get this one working well I think.

Napamule - will give the contact points a go and appropriate feedback.

Warhorse 47 Not sure about the flashing light issue, I know that has something to do with the location points of the light itself and Milton Schupe had some advice on that during the workup of the Aero Commander a little while back. I have not seen or done a Shockwave lights mod but it would not be too difficult to do. Another project to look into for the next few days.

That and the contact points etc will get this one working well I think.

I actually think this one is worth the effort because overall it is quite good although I prefer the piston engined variety on floats.

There is also another mod about which gives the VC textures a clean up and change which is also worthwhile and I adopted some internal views done for the DHC-2 Beaver which worked quite well. Will post these at some point or the links when I get a chance.

 

[falcon409]

Pam, just for your info, I downloaded the Otters from Virtualcol again as well as the accompanying update. Installed them in P3D_V4 and to my surprise the Turbo version works perfectly (sits perfectly still now, no more creeping). I don't know if it's due completely to the update I installed or if it's a combination of that and whatever changes might have been implemented in V4, but at any rate. . .works great now.

 

[Bjoern]

Bjoern what a great fix, thank you very much. I have a number of turboprops that need this adjustment. Great find. That and the contact points etc will get this one working well I think.

Feel free to report back if it helped with any add-on planes. My laptop's FSX installation doesn't have enough turboprops installed to test this with.

 

[BendyFlyer]

Bjoern - did not work with the PAD BE99, after much puzzlement discovered it already had an autostart gauge as standard panel fit which did what this gauge did. Will check a few others. I do think your recommended fuel flow scalar is too low though.

 

[Bjoern]

It's fuel flow gain, not scalar. Gain controls the acceleration, scalar controls consumption. Since turboprop .air files (other than jet .air files) do not possess a table 1505, it's hard to implement custom spooling behavior.
You can try to leave it as is, as long as the value isn't too large.

The default 1505 table, by the way, is the reason why you're seeing the RPM and EGT "spike" during startup. I can only assume that MS coded it that way to ensure quicker startups.

 

[BendyFlyer]

It's fuel flow gain, not scalar. Gain controls the acceleration, scalar controls consumption. Since turboprop .air files (other than jet .air files) do not possess a table 1505, it's hard to implement custom spooling behavior.
You can try to leave it as is, as long as the value isn't too large.

The default 1505 table, by the way, is the reason why you're seeing the RPM and EGT "spike" during startup. I can only assume that MS coded it that way to ensure quicker startups.

Point taken, my mistake. Probably right re the coding, because while pistons were not bad the turboprops were terrible compared to real life. Just a thought this gauge will probably be of no use in older turboprops, like the ones that used the dart etc where the starter spooled up the engine but a high pressure fuel cock was opened to introduce fuel and hence get a light, I will have a look at this and give it a go in the HS748, but curiously those models all had autostart guages installed anyway. Milton Schupes Dash 7 is however an ideal candidate, I will give at go tonight.

 

[BendyFlyer]

Bjoern - the gauge worked well on the Milton Schupe -Dash 7- nicely autostarted all four engines in sequence with correct lever movements and instrument indications.

 

[Bjoern]

Thought of Milton's Dash 7 as well. Good to hear that it works.


Non-PT6 turboprops always have me slightly confused. Darts are not free-wheeling, therefor the LP and HP cock and torque control by prop pitch. Same for the TPE with half a brain for semi-automatic fuel scheduling and manual fine adjustment in between.


If you haven't implemented my suggested fix(es) from a few months ago, you can also try the gauge and aircraft.cfg edit in Bill's Kodiak. The aircraft is a prime offender for a runaway engine during startup. (Can't blame him or Jerry, who did the FDE, though.)