The Dash 8 Q400 is a nice experience

[OlaHaldor]

I just had the best experience in X-Plane in a long while. I went to an airport I know they fly the Q400, set up a flight plan using AirTrack on my iPad, set the altitude, the ILS frequency at the destination airport and armed the autopilot to fly by FMS and Vertical Speed of 1800.

Lights on, flaps down, throttle up, brakes off - take-off and align to the preset direction and vertical speed. Engage autopilot.

WOW.. just.. wow.. I actually never touched anything except making a few adjustments to the altitude for the descend and adjusting NAV source from FMS to ILS2.

I'm very impressed. I've never had a flight like that in anything before. Honestly, I haven't started digging into all the start up procedures and such. I just wanted to get going, since I'm used to easy VFR planes. But this experience got me inspired to get into the whole procedure of switches and buttons.

Except a short video some time soon... 

[Cameron]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Ola! It's great to hear of your satisfaction in another X-Plane product purchase!

[Nicola_M]

I agree with you too, this is a really nice plane to fly. Although I get confused about which switch to press to give me autopilot, and then which one gives me approach/landing, but I just look around that cockpit and the detail makes that little foible go away.... which is just as well, because usually I somehow manage to disconnect autopilot and have to hand-fly it in instead!

It seems to be a challenging bird to land, with a learning curve, but still enjoyable. It'll be interesting to compare to the Saab, which is apparently challenging too.

I feel like finally we're getting planes of the quality xplane has desperately needed for so long.

[Jack Skieczius]

Thank you guys. It really brings joy to my heart knowing that people are enjoying the work I have done.

The Q400 is a bit of a challenge to land, so i put together a video showing how best to do an approach.

Check it out here:

[Simmo W]

And we've just had a real life Q400 pilot 'Chiemi' say some nice things about her Jack, we'll try and get more info/assistance from him.

http://xplane10.wordpress.com/2011/04/22/fly-j-sim-dash-8-q400-a-quick-look-around-and-some-first-impressions/#com-head

Pity it's spring/summer up there, at least I'll have crappy winter weather as an excuse to fly the swarms of new regional planes coming out..

Come on bad weather, come!

[Jack Skieczius]

Yes, 'Chiemi' says it very nicely for sure. right on with a lot of things i have heard from my Q400 pilot contacts as well.

Sounds are something we are working on. I like that he noted the DISC mode breaking. I tried to simulate this a bit in the sim, but maybe it is to weak. I will look at that as soon as i can.

I already have a list growing of things i will be adding for the first update. I cant say exactly what will be completed on that list, but the list is of things people have asked for.

[OlaHaldor]

Video has been uploaded. Just waiting for it to process. Recorded, edited and published in 1080p.

[alexcolka]

Hello all,

I'm fascinated with this great add-on, but I would like to know if this type of aircraft is certified to operate in high altitude airports like the ones in the Andes (above 8000 ft) because I can't take off at full power at this altitude, it's like not having enough power and achieving few knots on ground, sorry if this is my mistake but I need some advise please.

Thank you very much,

Alex.

[Jack Skieczius]

Hello all,

I'm fascinated with this great add-on, but I would like to know if this type of aircraft is certified to operate in high altitude airports like the ones in the Andes (above 8000 ft) because I can't take off at full power at this altitude, it's like not having enough power and achieving few knots on ground, sorry if this is my mistake but I need some advise please.

Thank you very much,

Alex.

If you give me an exact airport ICAO, I can go load up the Q400 right now and test if she can take off.

Interestingly, the Q400 actually is a bit overpowered, that is why the engines are normally derated to 90% power for most operations.The pilots in some Q400s can actually select a Max Takeoff Power setting which gives you the full 100% power during takeoff. This is all controlled by the FADEC. I will be adding this option to a future update.

I am loading up the sim right now to see if i can takeoff at Big Bear, which is in California at an field elevation of 6,752 ft.

[Jack Skieczius]

Yup, i can pretty much say, she can takeoff from 6,752 ft. and i used very little of the runway, 1/3 of the runway to takeoff with flaps 10° and half at flaps 0°. had 14 kts of wind helping me though.

I don't know of any real world Q400s that take off up that high, but i cant see hwy it wouldn't be able to.

And just to test, the HOT in hot and high, i bumped the temp up to 80°C and tried taking off. Oddly, X-plane seems to have a bug here, cause with the temp so hot the props will try to go into to high of a pitch which will ruin thrust. to solve this, simple leave Torque at 40%ish till about 80 knots, then increase to 90%. And i still got into the air before the end of the runway. Now i hope that the temps wont reach 80°C in the Andies, but what do i know.

So, yeah, i don't think you will have to much of a problem flying the Q in the Andies.

[alexcolka]

Yup, i can pretty much say, she can takeoff from 6,752 ft. and i used very little of the runway, 1/3 of the runway to takeoff with flaps 10° and half at flaps 0°. had 14 kts of wind helping me though.

I don't know of any real world Q400s that take off up that high, but i cant see hwy it wouldn't be able to.

And just to test, the HOT in hot and high, i bumped the temp up to 80°C and tried taking off. Oddly, X-plane seems to have a bug here, cause with the temp so hot the props will try to go into to high of a pitch which will ruin thrust. to solve this, simple leave Torque at 40%ish till about 80 knots, then increase to 90%. And i still got into the air before the end of the runway. Now i hope that the temps wont reach 80°C in the Andies, but what do i know.

So, yeah, i don't think you will have to much of a problem flying the Q in the Andies.

Hi Jack,

Thanks for your help here and in the other forum, I was trying to take off from SECU (8300 ft) and SEQU (9300 ft) without knowing this test results posted by you, I will try take off with your instructions, although other turboprop add-ons can take off easily in similar conditions.

Many thanks,

Alex