FS2004 Screenshots Here!!!
- Thread starter ZsoltB
- Start date
Mick
SOH-CM-2025
This was a problem in FS202 and back then "FS Aviator" posted (here or elsewhere I don't recall) a solution that I saved in my FlightSim Help Files folder. I don't know if the problem is quite the same in FS9 as it was in FS8 but I'd guess that it is. Anyway, this is what FS Aviator posted:
"STICKY" WATER
Comments by FSAviator on the hydroplane problem in FS2002.
Whilst writing 'realistic' FDE for a particularly under-powered floatplane I have discovered the real situation in FS2002.
In real life and in FS2002 waves break the surface tension of the water making it easier for a hydroplane to take off. Historically many real hydroplanes could not take off from flat calm water at high weights.
To succeed in taking off in a hydroplane with realistic float immersion, realistic weight, and realistic power in FS2002 two things must be true;
1) The wave state must be adequate.
2) The aircraft must be adequately into wind (*aligned to the waves*).
If you cannot move on the water with full throttle you must;
a) slew the aircraft into wind (using slew controls)
And if you still cannot move,
b) increase the wind speed at the surface
The latter will increase the wave state and reduce the surface tension.
I am not entirely sure whether the wave state is physically simulated or just virtually Calculated. There seems to be at least some physical simulation of variable wave state.
In general you can avoid the need to slew or mess with the weather menu by remembering to land into wind, and with enough wind to take off again. Of course if you taxied to a dock you may have to slew away from the dock, (push off from the dock or get a tow from a boat), into wind before you can taxi under engine power. Personally, I moor into wind on a vacant buoy and call for the duty launch :->
The bottom line is FS2002 will prevent movement from rest on water if either your alignment to the wind (waves) or current wave state make take off from that start position impossible.
That is the nature and extent of the 'sticky water' bug.
In practice it is often a chosen user setting in FSUIPC which frustrates hydroplane movement, but other weather related modules must also be set to allow sufficient wind at the surface. Don't blame the authors of the modules. They don't choose the settings. You may have to disable taxi wind controls, max surface wind controls etc., you have set in modules such as FSUIPC to achieve the wave states needed for take off in a hydroplane with a realistic flight model. Don't forget to reset FSUIPC etc., afterwards for normal runway operations.
If you are using real weather you can wait for it to change just like real life :-< or you can increase the wind speed (wave state) manually in the local weather. (The warning above re external modules still applies.) If you create an appropriate wind condition (wave state) and take off into wind, any hydroplane with a realistic flight model, however heavy, and however under powered, that can take off in real life, will take off in FS2002.
The max take off weight (useful load) from water is dependent on the relative wind vector at the moment of throttle up. You can take off cross wind (along a river) only if you are light enough. You can however start moving into wind and turn out of wind so long as you keep your speed up enough. The take off will be longer of course. Watch those river bends.
Real as it gets? Maybe not, but this is the real reason behind reports in the forums that hydroplanes with realistic flight models, which will normally take off, sometimes get 'stuck'. Various incorrect explanations varying from sand banks to only water with this or that texture are enabled for hydroplanes have been given. FDE authors should note that therefore it is not our job to create 'bouncy floats' with the knock on problems that can cause. The user should instead be waiting for, and pointing the aircraft into, 'bouncy water'. In any event It does not matter how ridiculously bouncy an FDE author makes the floats, an adequate into wind (wave) alignment is still required.
There are of course overpowered flight models which will take off from anywhere at any weight. The 'sticky water bug' only afflicts realistic hydroplane flight models. Some of existing realistic hydroplane flight models may appear to be 'broken', but in reality it is just a case of learning to use them correctly.
Hope that helps everyone.
FSAviator, November 2002
"STICKY" WATER
Comments by FSAviator on the hydroplane problem in FS2002.
Whilst writing 'realistic' FDE for a particularly under-powered floatplane I have discovered the real situation in FS2002.
In real life and in FS2002 waves break the surface tension of the water making it easier for a hydroplane to take off. Historically many real hydroplanes could not take off from flat calm water at high weights.
To succeed in taking off in a hydroplane with realistic float immersion, realistic weight, and realistic power in FS2002 two things must be true;
1) The wave state must be adequate.
2) The aircraft must be adequately into wind (*aligned to the waves*).
If you cannot move on the water with full throttle you must;
a) slew the aircraft into wind (using slew controls)
And if you still cannot move,
b) increase the wind speed at the surface
The latter will increase the wave state and reduce the surface tension.
I am not entirely sure whether the wave state is physically simulated or just virtually Calculated. There seems to be at least some physical simulation of variable wave state.
In general you can avoid the need to slew or mess with the weather menu by remembering to land into wind, and with enough wind to take off again. Of course if you taxied to a dock you may have to slew away from the dock, (push off from the dock or get a tow from a boat), into wind before you can taxi under engine power. Personally, I moor into wind on a vacant buoy and call for the duty launch :->
The bottom line is FS2002 will prevent movement from rest on water if either your alignment to the wind (waves) or current wave state make take off from that start position impossible.
That is the nature and extent of the 'sticky water' bug.
In practice it is often a chosen user setting in FSUIPC which frustrates hydroplane movement, but other weather related modules must also be set to allow sufficient wind at the surface. Don't blame the authors of the modules. They don't choose the settings. You may have to disable taxi wind controls, max surface wind controls etc., you have set in modules such as FSUIPC to achieve the wave states needed for take off in a hydroplane with a realistic flight model. Don't forget to reset FSUIPC etc., afterwards for normal runway operations.
If you are using real weather you can wait for it to change just like real life :-< or you can increase the wind speed (wave state) manually in the local weather. (The warning above re external modules still applies.) If you create an appropriate wind condition (wave state) and take off into wind, any hydroplane with a realistic flight model, however heavy, and however under powered, that can take off in real life, will take off in FS2002.
The max take off weight (useful load) from water is dependent on the relative wind vector at the moment of throttle up. You can take off cross wind (along a river) only if you are light enough. You can however start moving into wind and turn out of wind so long as you keep your speed up enough. The take off will be longer of course. Watch those river bends.
Real as it gets? Maybe not, but this is the real reason behind reports in the forums that hydroplanes with realistic flight models, which will normally take off, sometimes get 'stuck'. Various incorrect explanations varying from sand banks to only water with this or that texture are enabled for hydroplanes have been given. FDE authors should note that therefore it is not our job to create 'bouncy floats' with the knock on problems that can cause. The user should instead be waiting for, and pointing the aircraft into, 'bouncy water'. In any event It does not matter how ridiculously bouncy an FDE author makes the floats, an adequate into wind (wave) alignment is still required.
There are of course overpowered flight models which will take off from anywhere at any weight. The 'sticky water bug' only afflicts realistic hydroplane flight models. Some of existing realistic hydroplane flight models may appear to be 'broken', but in reality it is just a case of learning to use them correctly.
Hope that helps everyone.
FSAviator, November 2002