Newb Pilot Questions - Fixed Pitch vs Variable Pitch in KingAir

[Sgt R Lee Ermey]

I'm trying to graduate from the Cessna up to the KingAir.  I've only flown fix pitch props in real life and so I've had some issues learning the KingAir.  The throttle doesn't seem to affect things the way I'd expect.   If I have the throttle full and I throttle back, the plane really does not slow down the way you'd expect.  I kept the throttles back trying to see if it would slow down without luck.  In fact I was flying at night last night and couldn't figure out why the torque was showing in the negatives and I was unable to climb but my airspeed seemed ok. But the SOUND of the engines was fine.  It sounded like the engines were winding up fine.   I ended up crashing. 

 

So today I tried the same thing,  to see if I could get the engines to stall by keeping the pitch at full and throttling back and I realized that it was actually the engines that cut out.  I could see the props barely spinning but the SOUND was still fine like the engines would ramp up and down as I increased throttle.  Is this a bug?

 

So I realize I can't really fly around full pitch all the time.  I knew you had to feather them slightly at certain points like when cruising etc.  I also know you need to feather them completely when you lose an engine. 

 

So again I tried to see if I could simulate an engine stall and turned the mixture way back,  it killed the engines immediately and I tried to initiate a restart without luck. 

 

So questions are should I be hearing the engines continue even when the props are not spinning?

 

So climb/decend/cruise how should I vary my props? 

 

Also anyone know if the 2d panel of the kingair can be panned left/right and down further?  My track IR no matter what the settings are giving me a hard time turning my head far enough to the right and down to see the autopilot and those other gauges I have still yet to learn.   I thought the arrow keys control that?  I can pan up down but not left right.  \

 

Finally - is there a manual for this plane and some of the others?  I assume all the provided aircraft at least some of the major ones would be fully functional and have some sort of manual or guide to their instruments? 

 

Also it took me forever to find the small dials to switch from VOR to ADF, and to figure out how it all worked.  Eventually was able to get all nav aids working as they should except the ILS.  I had tuned my nav1 to ILS and I was on the approach without the ILS working properly.  I had NAV1 selcted on the bottom as well.  Any ideas on this?

Edited January 19, 2013 by Sgt R Lee Ermey

[Flying_pig]

To start the engines You need to turn on the igniters (there right next to the yoke) also if you can't slow down try turning on reverse thrust (you will need to make a key assighment for it though i prefer f2 and when using set throttles to max for max reverse thrust) and if the engines are still making noise and the props aren't turning this is not a bug it's the nature of turboprop engines also i almost never adjust the pitch and i never experience the engines dying on me as far as the nav is concerned use the fmc behind the throttles (be sure to set the autopilot nav source to fmc) as far as the panning issue is concerned if you have a joystick see if you have a hat stick on top if you do you can set up some key commands to allow x-plane to pan around using that as well if you don't have one you can just use the right mouse button in 3-d cockpit mode

[Sgt R Lee Ermey]

Yeah I'm going to need to learn this fmc.   I'm wondering why I've been able to stall the engines out then.  Thanks fore the reverse thrust.. I didnt think turbo props could do that?  I know jet engines can but once the prop is going a certain way I wonder how it would be able to stop and reverse in air like that. 

 

All my joystick hats / key are assigned already.  I just wanted to know if there actually was a full 2d model for that aircraft since it won't let me pan left/right.  I'll just try and make more adjustments to my trackIR. 

 

Thanks for tips and the B29 is looking good. 

[Flying_pig]

turboprops reverse thrust by changing the pitch of their propellers to reverse the thrust also what was your mixture setting when the engines stalled? since i have found that about 72% mixture will cause the engines to die on you 

[Sgt R Lee Ermey]

I tested it last night a little,  if I throttle back all the way sometimes the torque goes into the negatives.  Very odd.  I did note that there are 2 sounds associated with the engines.  One is a whine and the other sounds like the overall engine and prop.  But when I throttle back sometimes the engine goes all the way back but generally it stays the same and the whine reduces.  Just wish there were some manuals to some of these planes.  I guess i'm going to need to buy one payware plane. 

 

I'm looking for a general aviation plane that is well done but fast enough to get around quickly... but can land at small strips. Something with the basic old school gauges but also some modern WORKING instruments like the Garmin that work fully.  I mean I can navigate fine with just VOR/ILS/NDB with Cessna172 and the limited Garmin's direct to function.  I'm kinda old school and think GPS is cheating,  but I would like to learn the newer systems out there.  So I'd like to find a plane that will handle the best of both old school and new school but with plenty to learn.

[Flying_pig]

I would get the carenado C-208 caravan then

[Sgt R Lee Ermey]

Yeah thanks I want to but it isn't compatible with 64bit yet.  You know of any planes that are compatible with the beta yet?

[Flying_pig]

The xpfr Robin d400 140b available here http://xpfr.org/?body=aero_accueil&av=69 and the default lancair columbia 400