Author Topic: A2A Piper J-3 Floats - Any Tips for Preventing it from Flipping Over?  (Read 2274 times)

kronovan

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I've been trying to fly my recently purchased A2A J-3 floatplane out of Allard Bay or Queen Charlotte City. Moments after my flights finished loading, my J-3 starts rocking uncontrollably and then flips over. I've tried reducing weight (cutting fuel to a 1/3rd), adding weight (putting a passenger in the front seat), but nothing helps. Meanwhile the water conditions are far from rough and really quite minimal. I doubt it has anything to do with the size of the J-3, because I can take off from the same docks in my small Republic RC-3 Seabee without problems.

I found some posts in the a2asimulations.com forums about others having the same problem and it read like it may have been fixed in a patch. My copy was purchased via Steam though, so unfortunately the accumulated patch at a2asimulations.com doesn't find it. I'm just a bit too jaded by inconsistent efforts by Valve to assume they have the Steam version updated to the most recent patch.

There's of course also the possibility I'm just doing something wrong. If anyone here has any suggestions or tips on getting this bird stable on water, I'd love to hear about them.

nbrich1

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A2A latest update (May 2020) was for FSX and P3Dv1-3. Not sure if the FSX-P3V1-3 updater even works to update the FSX-SE version but don't think so.

You might have to post at A2A. I'm sure if you make contact with Scott or Lewis there they will assist and advise. But the latest A2A update for the J3 (v1.1) doesn't mention fixes to get off the water with floats and that's the only fix since 2009 when the J3 was released.

Now that accusim J3 only had a 65 hp engine.. (J3 Accusim) so you need to have the engine warmed up (If you haven't warmed it up but have pushed over it's limit then you have probably have damaged that engine.
(So might have to go into the maintenance hanger and check the engine (and fix it/overhaul it). 
J3 Manual pdf-Direct LINK>> https://www.a2asimulations.com/Manuals/P3D/Accusim_Cub_Manual_P3D.pdf
(Refer to page 10, 11 and 12)

Also that float version - you need a big lake to get enough speed to get off the water. but have to use power, no flaps (until up to take off speed), push the stick down so the nose is down on the water for the least amount of drag possible on the pontoons then when up to speed a slight sharp up to break free of the water surface then slow climb to continue gaining airspeed. There is a trick to it. But check that engine first!.

The Accu-Sim Update 11/05/2020 (May 11 2020) Download - FSX and P3D v1-v3
>LINK: https://a2asimulations.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=57819

" This one A2A update detects and updates our fleet of Accu-Sim aircraft for FSX and Prepar3D v1-3 (with the exception of the latest release, the Bonanza V35B). For Prepar3D v4 and the Bonanza, new installers which will automatically detect any updates are available. Please see this post for more details.

Hope something in this post helps get your J3 off the water!

Norm
Regards from Toronto, Canada. Home Airport CYYZ.
^----------------- Misty Flying Club -----------------^

kronovan

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Thanks Norm - appreciate all the tips. I'll be sure to reread those pages, which admittedly I've only done a quick-read of so far. I did make a post at a2asimulations.com, but since it's my 1st time posting there I have to wait for approval.

I start all my flights Cold & Dead and have a default-saved flight that consists of a C&D state Cessna 172 at Pitt Meadows airport - very close to sea level.  So a though I've had...is if that might be causing this problem. I've read about the A2A J-3 Cub having an anchor, so I'm wondering if that keeps it stable and prevents it from flipping? I know that to be the case with my amphibs & floats in X-Plane 11, but a different sim. I haven't had enough time to check before my J-3 flips over, but I'm far from certain the anchor is engaged when I start my flight.

jeff3163

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You could try this in the [contact_points] section of the plane's aircraft.cfg to help with stability, possibly.  It's for P3D water, but I wonder . . .  ???

[contact_points]
always_use_avg_surface=1 // levels out the water in P3D

Win10Pro64, MSFS 1.25.9.0, P3Dv4.3.29.25520, AMD Ryzen7 1800X@3.6 GHz , 32Gb RAM, GTX 1080 Ti, 2x42" Vizio Monitors, HTC Vive VR HMD, Saitek Yoke/Pedals/trim wheel, XBox360 Controller, G27 steering wheel w/shifter+pedals. :P

kronovan

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Thanks for the suggestion Jeff.

It looks like this has been resolved, as I've now been able to take off multiple times from the same water aerodromes in the J-3 without any problems - from other aerodromes too. I had water aerodrome scenery that I previously used with UTX Canada v2 and FS Global 2010 that included about 45 docks within the PNW and PFJ areas; 2 of which were those I mentioned above. I thought I'd disabled when I installed PFJ, but it may not have been the case. I quickly re-enabled that scenery and then immediately disabled it and that seems to have done the trick.

In a way it was good it happened, because I went through that scenery addon and discovered 5 water aerodromes that aren't included in Orbx PNW or PFJ - including Vancouver Harbor CYHC! I definitely don't want to be bush piloting in southern BC without a landing at CYHC being a possibility. I mean its got more pubs in close proximity to it than any other aerodrome on the whole Pacific NW coast.    :P
« Last Edit: July 13, 2020, 04:36:20 AM by kronovan »