Can you give me some tips on how to properly fly this aircraft?

[gmetzo]

Ever since I've got it this aircraft feels extremely sensitive on the pitch axis in particular. I am trying to keep it as traight as I can either with the joystick or with triming yet the same thing happens again and again the nose goes up and down I just can't keep it stable.

Also its the only module that distracts me. When I am flying it I just can not establish the horizon on my mind and it feels like the aircraft is sliping.

Any advice would be great.

[rrohde]

You might want to adjust your curves to those values suggested in the screenshot below:

 

[Morpheus]

Absolutely no problem to do what I want with this plane, I fly it 99% of the time. My curves are so so different than picture below, it would be impossible to fly Albatros with them for me, my wingmen too. Have you other module? If yes no problem with them ?

[gmetzo]

yea i've got a ton of modules. I even fly ww2 for christ's shake. I will check tomorow the proposed curves and see how it goes

[doodenkoff]

I have found that getting level flight is a careful balance of trim and power. Don't forget to adjust the throttle when trimming. I can usually get it balanced well enough to fly the plane with slight adjustments on the trim switch alone.

[Andrew8604]

I use similar curves on pitch and roll axes on all my DCS aircraft. Just my preference. Seems easier to fly steady and in formation like that. Others insist, "Oh, no-no-no, you must keep linear. Using a curve is a crutch". I ignore them. :) I only add a curve. About 17 to 25 in both pitch and roll. Sometimes I put a slight curve on wheel brake response, too. Whatever feels right to me for the aircraft. In the image here, the pitch axis appears 'truncated'. I wouldn't do that. I'd keep it full throw capable. Just the response curve to where near center, the response is less. I think this is making up for our "short" joysticks with spring resistance. I think most real aircraft have longer sticks that are mechanically connected to a hydraulic input system or cables and/or push rods and levers.

 

Like doodenkoff said, here, a balance of trim and power. Often I'll set a desired power setting and chase level flight with the trim, gradually smoothing out to the right trim for the right airspeed for a given power setting. Whether you hold trim and adjust power or hold power and adjust trim, it should eventually dampen out. If you are adjusting both, you're probably chasing it all over the sky. And flying in formation is constant work of fine adjustments.

 

Also, I think it helps to have something like the Thrustmaster Warthog which uses Hall effect sensors and has no 'flutter' or 'noise'. When I let go of the stick, it always reads a steady 0 on the X and Y axes (or if not zero, a steady, consistent number). Plus it has something like 16,000 points of resolution which seems to allow for very fine control inputs. There may be some other quality joysticks that do this, too. But those that use potentiometers instead of Hall effect are noisy and low resolution...like only 512 or 1024 points of resolution. Then you need to add 'dead' zone to cover the 'noise' of a centered stick (noisy pot). However, if the stick (pot) is noisy at center, it's probably noisy at all other points, too. If you often see flight control surfaces, or the stick, slightly fluttering when you aren't touching it, your stick probably has potentiometers. Real aircraft have approximately infinite points of resolution.

 

The pitch trim on the L-39C seems maybe slightly too coarse. Might need more points of resolution, or a slower response speed. Then again, the real flight controls of a real aircraft aren't always that "self-zeroing". I had trouble holding altitude in a real Cessna 150, too. While my flight instructor seemed to have "the perfect touch". Just practice and experience. Keep working at it and remember to relax your grip of you are too tense. :) Hope that helps.

 

And on pretty much all DCS modules, it seems like once you touch the roll trim, you can never get it back to a perfect center. Always causes you to hold slight control pressure either left or right for the rest of the mission. That's my experience.

[Svsmokey]

I have found that getting level flight is a careful balance of trim and power. Don't forget to adjust the throttle when trimming. I can usually get it balanced well enough to fly the plane with slight adjustments on the trim switch alone.

 

Good advice , that .

[303_Kermit]

It's a perfect plane for learning purposes. And it will fly properly if ... you will fly him properly. I never use any curves - except of rudder. I admit - my pedals aren't impressive an 15% smooth is necessary. Every other curve stays default. L-39 flies perfectly. I recommend "C" variant , because it feels much lighter while aerobatic. Is very proper in most cases, except of spin - there's unsymmetrical. 
By good weather you can trim your aircraft so, that F-18 flying nearby will think that you have an autopilot.
With my best regards
303_Kermit

Edited December 19, 2020 by 303_Kermit

[Thunder_]

is the L39 similar to the 101 ? what's the difference ?

[Ramsay]

On 3/28/2021 at 7:44 PM, Bozo_ said:

is the L39 similar to the 101 ?

Yes.

On 3/28/2021 at 7:44 PM, Bozo_ said:

what's the difference ?

To many to list, both fill similar roles.

 

Briefly:

• The L-39 is a Czech manufactured "Soviet" trainer (with a English DCS cockpit option i.e. translated labels and knots/feet)
• Instrumentation is metric km, metres, HSI/RMI uses true, etc.
• Slightly more powerful engine.
• Russian RSBN and PRMG navigation systems (rather than TACAN and ILS)
• Most IFR landings will be NDB non-precision approaches.
• Quirks of the real aircraft are modelled i.e. match RL pilot notes.
• The L-39ZA has a more limited (realistic ?) range of Russian A2A IR missiles, rockets, bombs and gun pods.
• FFB is well supported with stick force changing with speed and buffet/vibration prior to wing stall.
• The L-39 was developed by ED and it's development is now complete.
• The C-101 is developed by a small team and though very usable it is still WIP with a slow trickle of "no fuss" updates and improvements.

Edited March 30, 2021 by Ramsay

[Thunder_]

Thanks Ramsey for the info looks like a good plane I might get it in the future , maybe on the next sale or something , sounds lots of fun 

[Lurker]

It's my go to plane for just exploring maps, flying around or aerobatics. It's great fun, and the force feedback makes it really fun to fly. 

[rkk01]

Yes, agree with the positive comments above...

 

Nice little plane to fly around in, and to learn to fly properly - the training mission where the instructor pulls down the IFR hood was a real shock... but equally was amazing after flying on the instructor’s course and speed instructions to find yourself on the glide slope when the hood was pulled back up

 

You do need to watch your speed for flaps deployment / destruction of using the English version cockpit... I hadn’t realised that the IAS had flipped from km/h to knots

[=4c=Nikola]

I find pitch trim extremely sensitive as well, but it's not big deal. As people above me said, you can use power as a fine trim control. 

 

L-39 is absolutely the best aircraft in DCS for instrument training. I use it to maintain my instrument proficiency and simulated instrument failures are great tool to practice partial panel flying. 

Edited April 8, 2021 by =4c=Nikola

[Tiramisu]

Aerobatics can be a good starting point for learning how to fly an aircraft well. So it is quite sad that the L-39 does not have any AoA-gauge. I mean the manual of the Mig-21 has some very interesting descriptions about how to use the AoA-gauge for aerobatics, but in the L-39 we do not have anything similar. I find it a bit hard to fly perfectly without any AoA. At least it has a G-meter, but it is located quite low in the cockpit.

Note that there is a manual from ED for the L-39C that can be found in the internet, which contains more information about aerobatics than the standard manual in the installation files.

[Morpheus]

I fly this bird since the beginning and I lead aerobatic team, I don't need AoA gauge and never look at G Meter, with the usual just "sensation" make the job. Real aerobatic team I represent gave me parameters and tha's all. A link to teh manual would be fine  

[Tiramisu]

Here it is. http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/316965/manuals/DCS_L-39C_Flight_Manual_EN.pdf?t=1455639851

From page 168 onwards.

[Morpheus]

Thank you