Left Turning Tendency on the Ground
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- Soareyes
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Left Turning Tendency on the Ground
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?
- meowmeow
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Re: Left Turning Tendency on the Ground
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
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Re: Left Turning Tendency on the Ground
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
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Re: Left Turning Tendency on the Ground
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
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Re: Left Turning Tendency on the Ground
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
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Re: Left Turning Tendency on the Ground
Not normal. It's a pain to taxi the first few times, that doesn't mean requiring full pedal input to stay straight
- Soareyes
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Re: Left Turning Tendency on the Ground
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!:
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!:
Current: DA42-V1
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