Left Turning Tendency on the Ground

[Soareyes]

My only multi-engine experience is in the older DA42 I got my rating in last January. That plane required holding strong right rudder the whole time while taxiing. Is that normal for the DA42?

[dgger]

No. Certainly not.

[Steve]

I wouldn't't think so. Maybe you had a dragging brake?

[meowmeow]

P-factor can still be a noticeable factor on the ground, especially if you taxi slightly uphill and need more power. Careful use of slightly differential engine power (i.e. use a bit more of the left engine than the right one) should be more effective though than a lot of right rudder while taxiing straight or making right turns.


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[cptndavid]

My airplane 16 FA does the same thing a bit of left engine helps. I had it checked out when I first got the plane and there was no way to fix it.

[ememic99]

My only multi-engine experience is in the older DA42 I got my rating in last January. That plane required holding strong right rudder the whole time while taxiing. Is that normal for the DA42?

Once I flew DA42 that was like you described. Mine also has left tendency but doesn't require so much right rudder input and a bit more power from left engine helps a lot. In general, comparing to other twins, DA42 is not easy to rudder steer on the ground.

[ultraturtle]

Spiralling slipstream from the left engine moves inward, toward the vertical stabilizer and rudder, whereas spiralling slipstream from the right engine moves outward, away from the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The effect is not insignificant, and along with a little bit of P factor will result in the need for a right correction. With no crosswind, I've always needed to correct to the right - preferring to use left engine power when possible. This is totally normal.

[neema]

Not normal. It's a pain to taxi the first few times, that doesn't mean requiring full pedal input to stay straight

[Soareyes]

Follow up from my original post.

The new plane finally arrived, over a year from when it was ordered (Thanks Covid). I'm happy to report that it taxis perfectly straight with no constant rudder pedal pressure required, no left turning tendency on the ground.

Oh yeah, a picture!:

[Steve]

Congrats! I like the color scheme.