Aircraft has no lift

[kazoom]

MSFS 2004 AC of F

MSFS suddenly decided that it preferred it if my planes wouldn't take off, essentially keeping the wheels well and truely stuck to the runway. The planes would take off if I pulled hard back on my joystick. Letting go the joystick (re-centering) the plane would immediately dive to the ground. Clicking lots of elevator trim would eventually get the plane to fly straight and level - nearly.

I hadn't added or deleted anything since the last time I had flown. What I had done was try a few keyboard combinations to see what affects they had. I was referencing MSFS 2004 keyboard charts. I suspect I may have done a life changing combo that caused my problems inadvertently...
Tried all the usual MS settings available from the interface without success.
Hmmm... this is a problem. Not that I'm a 'behind-the-scenes' tinkerer, but here goes, into FS9.cfg. Whoa, that's scary Look for anything that might pertain to Elevator settings and I did find a couple.

ELEV_TRIM-DN=36.8
ELEV_DOWN=36.8

There was an old cfg file in the folder so checked that one, it's elevator settings were

ELEV_TRIM-UP=35.8
ELEV_UP=40.8

Changed the settings to the old ones and saved this as FS9.cfg (after making notes of the changes), opened up FS9 (I remembered reading somewhere about the dangers of changing FS9.cfg with FS9 open), and tried a take-off - it worked, well at least it got off the ground without any need to rotate. I was flying a Piper Pacer taildragger and they almost take off by themselves.

So, my question is: was that the correct solution to my problem? Or should I do something else?

I did read the "Maximise Your Settings" article and made a couple of other recommended changes to the Terrain, inside FS9 and Video card while I was changing the cfg.

My specs are:

AMD Athlon XP 2800+ 2.0Ghz
1.0GB RAM
Windows ZP Home
nVidia GeForce4 MX 440 with AGP8X 64MB memory
DirectX 9.0

Image Settings:
Quality
AA 4XS
AF 2X
Texture Sharpening ON

kazoom

[Charl]

Sounds like the autpilot/wing leveller problem.
Make sure autopilot is disengaged before takeoff, set trim and save the flight as default.

[Toz]

G'day Kazoom,
i hope u dont have to reinstall. Sounds annoying !

A note though : all aircraft have a default elevator trim setting. In most , but not all of my Boeings it is neutral. In one of them, it is nose down, which means I have to trim neutral or up if I want a nice unstick. I have just released a Harvard which displays DISTINCT nose down tendancies, but this is to get the TAIL up during takeoff roll ! Retrim ( it takes a few seconds ) , and she unsticks just like a bought one ! ( I prefer to get my OWN tail up.....lololol )

If there is a cockpit trim indicator, check it. Hope this helps.

Chairs,
Toz

[kazoom]

Thanks guys for your input and thoughts.

Charl definitely not a AP issue, I rarely use them when flying my 'little' planes - and I checked. I kind of like to 'seat of the pants' - not that I'm suggesting I'm any good at it though!

Toz Likewise, I've checked the aircraft.cfg files and it still comes back to the FS9.cfg elevator settings as it was affecting all the aircraft I tried. Changing them as above seemed to fix the problem. Just don't understand how it happened, I'll just shrug the shoulders and be thankful I 'lucky fixed' it. Only time will tell if it is really fixed.

Reinstalling was a thought that shuddered through my mind at one stage. It probably wouldn't be a major and probably be of some benefit. As a new FS user I couldn't resist adding every new plane or scenery I found, so a clean up wouldn't go far wrong. I was thinking of replacing my NZ 75 metre mesh with the 20 metre anyway.

Thanks again.

[ardypilot]

I'm having exactly the same problem, but my ELEV_TRIM-UP= and ELEV_UP= are both the same as you mentioned.

[ooOO00OOoo]

Wild guess
Do you use flaps? Sorry if it sounds dumb but i have made that mistake a couple of times

[Brennanx]

reminds me of someone that coudn't get the take of right aye oo0o0o00o.

[ooOO00OOoo]

Ok i have a picture that might describe how i feel about you now. BRENNAN!! I just have to wait for approval from Trolly!

And that was rotating too early and keeping the nose pitched up at 20*.

[ooOO00OOoo]

reminds me of someone that coudn't get the take of right aye oo0o0o00o.

Wana say it again to my face while I'm actually listening! j/jk

[ooOO00OOoo]

reminds me of someone that coudn't get the take of right aye oo0o0o00o.

Either spell my nickname correct or use the first name in my signature. NO IT IS NOT FRODO NEWBLINS BEFORE YOU TRY IT!


Hurry up trolly, allow me to use it!! Please!!! I really want to. If you want i could make it Very person specific, but only with your permission

[Brennanx]

I let you do it anyway I say the problem is your trim for not getting lift..

[ooOO00OOoo]

reminds me of someone that coudn't get the take of right aye oo0o0o00o.

My response!

Take that

[Brennanx]

nice picture i suppose your on the right?

[ooOO00OOoo]

OMG Brennan!

[Zöltuger]

OK enough of the thread hijack with owls, lets get back to the flightless aircraft

[ooOO00OOoo]

OK enough of the thread hijack with owls, lets get back to the flightless aircraft

OMG
LOL

[ooOO00OOoo]

Not enough yet zolt
You can never have too many owls