Muchimi

Yes - I think it still swerves as it should if you don't pay attention and is much closer to the published behavior in terms of rudder trim. It's not stable by any means but it's also not overly twitchy as it was before. A tiny windgust was enough to send me at a 45 degree off course - no longer the case and the front wheel now actually does something between 20 and 70 kts.

Very pleased on the ground handling. Looks like the ice skates are finally gone, nicely done.

Reporting back after turning the mode off and using the TBM900 1.1.7: I'm not seeing a highly significant difference with the experimental flight on/off related to ground handling: aircraft is still twitchy. With the mode off, less susceptible but still veers off center easily. I have continued to refine the control curves, especially for this aircraft to minimize the tendency and that by far yields the best result.

I will definitely try this with the mode disabled and report back here!

Indeed, the experimental model is checked in my case, along with the version of X-plane this is on 11.32R2 (which by itself is I think relevant here). Since however there is no issue with other aircraft with this mode enabled, I only see this as adding to the conversation, not removing from it. .

You know it's interesting you mention the lift because my plane "floats" up on approach (I assume this is the new ground effect stuff that Austin discussed) or whenever the ground is really close (about 20 to 50 feet is my guess). The TBM is not the only plane that does this, but I don't get that much effect in my other aircraft. I stay around 85 kts on approach with full flaps down - I even tried 75kts which got me a speed warning yet I bounce up like a ball, wing drops and I'm done for. However, getting to VR at 90Kts+ on wide runways in my current focus as my landings should equal my takeoffs (if my math is right).

I'm using 11.32R2 and the experimental flight model enabled and having a heck of a time with ground handling and wind. Wind in air seems to be applicable to all aircraft I have but the ground handling is definitely only with the TBM. Other threads on the topic.

I am getting better at this I swear. I can actually manage to stay somewhere on the runway by the skin of the teeth half the time now with 1.1.6. I just have a heck of a time keeping the bird somewhere on the runway (forget the centerline, that's beyond my limited capabilities right now - my goal is to stay on paving generally heading down the runway). I'm also cheating: Now using the very wide and 16,000' long runway at KDEN as I need all the space I can get for practice.

@xpst I agree - the TBM has easily taken first place with distinction of all my virtual hangar birds for the twitchiest plane in x-plane. To make me feel better, I took a Saab 340 on the same route I did with the TBM and nailed the takeoff/landing the first time, which was good for my ego after going through one new TBM airframe per flight (note, flight is a misnomer because I seldom get off the ground). I totally suck with the TBM although it is now markedly better from what it was. Trim in the green - not helping much The TBM is very sensitive to wind and it bounces like a "superball" on landing too. It feels more sensitive to wind than even the C172 which is weird (ok, the 172 is slow and has high wings so that helps). One thing to do when you practice is to disable all weather: this makes sure cross-winds and wind gusts aren't a factor and that also helps tremendously. A 5kt wind from a 30 degree angle causes all sorts of stability issues for me at roll speeds and enough to send me to pasture. Gusts mean instant death for me at my sorry skill level. So far what works better for me: - disable any sort of weather - any wind spells disaster - passengers not allowed to even cough in the cabin - ensure trims are in the green, and once you're at gear up, reset the rudder trim pretty quick because it will make the plane hard to keep level - full tank of gas to put weight on - max downforce on the front wheel during the roll (which you do want a little bit for all aircraft but I'm talking full bore down pressure here) - watch the speed on takeoff and approach - higher VR works for me although it's so hard to keep the plane centered that my natural tendency is to pull up at VR which is BAD as it stalls so easily I'll let you know what works for landing because right now I have (a) few opportunities to take off in one piece reducing the chance of doing a landing (b) oh my - still working on landing without a bounce that sends me completely off course. This is by far the most challenging plane I've flown in a long time - even landing the DCS F18 in crappy weather at night on a moving postage stamp to catch the #3 wire is a walk in the park compared to this bird lol.

Update... I went into a deep dive on this yesterday with the dataref tool in x-plane to spelunk through the various functions of the TBM surrounding the flight plan loading. I gave up with the mouse because it's just too tedious, especially with Trackir or headshake enabled - can't hit the side of a barn with that mouse in the time you have to click the inner knob to change the menu to the line you need to load flight plan from the catalog. At least with some real buttons, there's a chance. I ended up mapping two rotary buttons and push buttons to commands in the keymapper. The items in bold are the commands to map the button to in the keymapper. The FMS control knob located to the left of the PLN button and above the keyboard: OUTER KNOB function (not really used with the flight plan but included here for completeness) - note the description is a misnomer as in this case, the up button scrolls menu down, and the down button scrolls the menu up which I guess makes sense, but not as much sense as clockwise/counterclockwise to my engineering head. G1000 MFD FMD FMS outer ring tune up G1000 MFD FMD FMS outer ring tune down INNER KNOB function (That's the one you want for the flight plan activate menu to move up and down between menu options) G1000 MFD FMD FMS inner ring tune up G1000 MFD FMD FMS outer ring tune down FMS BUTTON PUSH function G1000 MFD FMS cursor ENTER function (some flight plan screens) G1000 MFD FMD ENT. You can also map these functions to the FPL button G1000 MFD FPL and for the PROC button: G1000 MFD proc. It's quite manageable now as there is time to switch the menu before it goes away while you're hunting for the click spot on the knob (and hit the wrong thing - usually I either get the push function of the outerknob). Mapping buttons works all the time now.

Thank you Goran - that was with 1.1.6 and the current beta of x-plane 11.32R2. My special Joystick Gremlin profile for landing/takeoff with an almost flat rudder response on center helps considerably keeping a center line with the rudder trim although it's still twitchy and the slightest offset (such as with a 5kt offset gust of wind) will send me careening off in flames - my usual end-state in the last few weeks with the TBM as you know from my other post. I'm very familiar with the new airframe button these days - one per flight so far lol as something goes horribly wrong somewhere along the line. Part of it is training on my end, part of it is x-plane and part of it is the twitchy nature of the 900. On the other hand, my TBM is a champion for runway ice-skating competition - it has no problems doing the triple-lutz on take-off or landing.

I was wondering if more news or tips have come up on the topic of keeping a centerline during the takeoff roll (or landing - same issue). The slightest - and I do mean - breathing on the rudder or looking at a toe-brake the wrong way takes the plane off course - it's ridiculous. I ended up creating a profile on my programmable rudders that has the response curve so toned down it's almost flat - and only then does the plane behave. Yes, my rudders are hall effect and they are quite precise. I have no such issues with other aircraft, even the Carenado B58 Baron which is known to be a bar of soap on a wet runway is super "tame" compared to this TBM beast.

I find loading a flight plan exceedingly difficult. The FPL menu usually goes poof by the time I get to click the knob to switch to "load" flight plan. Very annoying. Takes me 20 times before I can get to a flight plan menu page. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong: Hit the FPL button twice (brings up the second menu), then inner knob clockwise (that's the one I have a heck of a time hitting) to switch to the second line in the menu (flight plan catalog menu). Not having a lot of luck with the mouse, I mapped the G1000 MFD inner knob up/down on joystick buttons and even when hitting that it doesn't work for me half the time. Is there an easier way to do this starting with the FPL menu not going away so quickly so I have the time to switch to the load catalog page?

Well it is called the Hotstart TBM 900 - I had no idea!

Ok thanks for pointing me to the fuel mapping. I was using my default profile for x-plane for the TBM that kept all the axes mapped including prop and mixture levers from my quadrant. It works now - I went through the tutorial in automatic and manual, twice, and no problems this time, and I'm relieved the tutorial is no longer demonstrating how to start a fire which it was. What I ended up doing to fix this if this helps anyone else encountering this: (1) I created a specific TBM900 profile in the joystick mapper, and one that forcibly disconnects axis inputs for mixture and propeller. I only kept the yoke, pedals and throttle connected. (2) instead of mapping mixture to an axis, I mapped a couple of buttons on my throttle to x-plane commands for "increase mixture a little bit" and "decrease mixture a little bit" to "walk" the TBM's throttle lever to the condition (right side) latches. I'm still not comprehending why my prior setup was working last week - perhaps coincidence. Thanks for the help!

I just disconnected the whole hardware bits and it's still behaving wonky and I'm not touching anything. I do have fwl so looking at any scripts there that could impact fuel. I created a special profile for the TBM and disconnecting inputs there to narrow it down. This is maddening as it was working so well last week.

If this helps: - This happens with a brand new airframe, on a new install of the aircraft, with no maintenance record and not touching controls at all. - This happens on the first load (so no prior XP aircraft loaded and not switching from another flight or sesssion). - This happens when the initial tutorial first runs (I'm not touching any controls or interacting with the aircraft, just watching the tutorial do its thing). To be clear, this is the first tutorial that loads upon a fresh install and goes through the startup procedure by itself before it asks you do it. The engine catches on fire when the tutorial runs immediately after it introduces fuel (moves the throttle to the first notch above cutoff). This is exactly what happens to me when I try to start the aircraft on my own at the same spot (moving the throttle up one notch from cutoff). ITT goes totally nuts - from 0 to 1700C in about 3 seconds. N1 between 13.5% to 20%, indicators are fuel pump on, starter on, ignition on. Looks all normal to me (and again, no damage at all in the maintenance screen and all covers removed). - I am using hardware controls and they look properly calibrated and work fine with other aircraft. How can I tell? I feed my hardware through VJOY and there is as far as I can tell no movement of the throttles on start because VJOY monitor shows the correct inputs and there is no hardware noise either. The mixture, prop and throttle controls are not moving at all. Recent changes: - I installed the reality RXP GTN 750 over the weekend. - I installed the TBM 1.1.6 over the weekend (this wasn't happening to me in the prior version last week - plane worked great with the same setup). I'll disconnect my hardware just in case and see if it makes it through the tutorial and the automated start without the tutorial causing an engine fire. I'll also try the old version again if I can extricate it from my download folder.

Since I installed 1.1.6 this weekend, I cannot start the plane without an instant engine fire. I uninstalled, re-installed, re-entered the license, verified the license is valid, and even when doing the start tutorial (when it's first showing you how to start it and doing the start for you), the engine catches on fire almost instantly when the tutorial is doing it. I'm not faring any better. I've wiped out the TBM900 folder in the output folder, no change. Changed airports: no change. Not sure what's happening but the plane is totally unusable for me. Engine cold and dark (not a hot start). N1 is between 13 and 19% when entering the fuel. Engine ITT is cold. I also almost get an instant message the engine is flooding the moment I turn on the boost pump if that helps and that isn't very normal. Override lever is full back. I am running x-plane 11.32R2. I'll check for another update but this wasn't happening until the 1.1.6 patch - was working well for me. I can re-install the old version, will try that next.

At work right now so I can't check. I think there is either a dataref for this in which case you may be able to bind a key to it from within a lua script in FlywithLUA or as a command in which case it would show up in your x-plane keybinder as an available command. You may need to expand the available commands exposed by the Saab.

Thank you - It never occurred to me to move the throttles below idle unless attempting to reverse.

This reminds me that the Saab (at least mine) is a Ferrari on the tarmac with throttles in ground idle. Two questions on the proper way to taxi this thing: - I observed in RL that some of the turboprop operators taxi on one engine only - I haven't flown a turboprop in some years now, but nearly all my flights (which included Dash 8 and B1900D and a Saab 340B eons ago. Is that a recommended practice? The second engine was typically turned on but a few minutes before t/o. - Short of using brakes like crazy, what is the recommended way of controlling ground speed on this aircraft while on the ground for taxi? Thanks!

Hi thanks for the reply. I did another flight yesterday without the constant-on hydraulics (and by this I don't mean the occasional pump sound, I mean a continuous pump sound that will not stop). I suspect there was something I missed during the checks. I like the depth of simulation.

Greetings! I ran into a first flight and I still have my training wheels on and boy do I need them. NOOB zone: I kept on hearing the hydraulic pump running when I first powered on the flight (so battery + on + ground power on). Turned hydraulic switch it off - back to auto - ran for a bit and stopped. All good. Then it went nuts again after engine start. Did the off/auto thing and good to go again. Then at some point during taxi I was fiddling with my prop controls on the quadrant and managed to turn off engine 1 by bringing the lever a bit too far down. That of course killed the left bus which after restart caused me to reset gen 1. The hydraulics went back to on all the time again until the turn off/ back to auto thing. The manual has one paragraph on hydraulics as to how they work and how to control, but I suspect I'm missing a key ingredient somewhere. I suspect this has to either do with the fact I'm running this in the unsupported XP11, but I also suspect given that this isn't an issue reported anywhere I could find, it's more of an operator error as I probably forgot to do something critical. Please be kind in your responses, and yes, I know XP11 isn't supported (yet), officially.

Hi, I have the same pedals. I think X-plane is not handling steering / pedals on the ground correctly at all and tends to over correct - I've used the term "drunken pilot" behavior for pedals. This script I posted down in the thread below may help you (you may need to edit to remove the devices you don't have). Turn the assist in xplane all the way off and use the sliders all the way on the left in the joystick sensitivity - that makes the 733 behave pretty well - even if you need ever so gentle rudder inputs or xplane still send you off the runway. Down pressure on the nose gear helps quite a bit until you get to about 80 kts. http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/forums/topic/125263-pedals-for-x-plane-11/ I think this is something Laminar should fix, or provide improved handling of inputs for. The TM gear is very precise so it's not like the input is not correct or anything so that excuse is long gone. Just not in the top priority of fixes I think. Hope this helps! Cheers, M

Yes I found it's easier to enter the flight plan manually into the FMC, then to save it. Creating a plan outside of ixeg and loading it has been nothing but a source of issues for me. Wouldn't it be nice if all FMCs loaded Garmin flight plans....