F5 nose wheel steering

I cant get the F5 to taxi straight,when I push the nose wheel steering button I can get the plane to turn but when I release the button the plane wont taxi straight it veers to the right.So I have to keep pushing the nose wheel steering button and left rudder to keep it from running off the taxi way.

Is there some crosswind? If yes, that's why.

Nose Wheel Steering

There is no wind set up in the mission.

Release the button when the nosewheel is centered again otherwise it stays in the position you left it (I think).

Ive tried that,I go to outside view to see if the nose wheel is turned and is straight. Release the nose wheel button and it still veers to the right.

Wheel brake engaged by accident?

Axis set correctly?

I think I solved the nose wheel problem by not using the Thrustmaster Target software. Bound all my Joystick Throttle and Rudder pedal settings in the DCS control options page. Now the F5 taxi's straight when I release the nose wheel button. Thanks for trying to help guys.

Okay... I thought you have to keep the nws button pushed the whole time. I thought this was a specialty of the F-5.

Is it a question of the the target software?

Straight is what it is supposed to do when you don't have NWS held down.

Straight is what it is supposed to do when you don't have NWS held down.

Sort-of. I find it drifts a fair bit; nothing abrupt; I attribute it to rough fields, but I'm occasionally tapping a pedal now and again...fortunately I've never been pulled over for a field sobriety test on the taxiway.

Well "Straight" it acts as a shimmy damper so yea it will still caster off, and it's still a trike so it has that inherent wander from tire loading, just not how the OP described their issue.

I just taxi with it held in the whole time, then let it go around 60 knots or so when the rudder starts working.

So as some people have indicated you need to hold the NWS button in the F-5 any time you want to turn the Nose wheel, you should allow the nose wheel to center prior to releasing the NSW button, it takes a little while to return to center and it's not particularly controlled.

During your take off roll, you want to only use toe breaks (just a tap) until you have enough speed for the rudder to be effective. Do not touch the NSW once your take off roll has started or you will very likely over correct.

My NWS always seems to work fine before takeoff but not after landing. After landing its always very intermittent and sometimes I have to release NWS and re-apply.

Is it possible I'm actually breaking some mechanism of the aircraft in the sim with rough landing?

I just got the F-5 a couple of days ago and spent most of the day trying to take off straight. Yes, tried many settings for my rudder pedals. Just getting frustrating. Help Logitech pro's

Roll out straight a bit to ensure the nose wheel is centered. Extend the nose wheel strut for takeoff. Hold the NWS button until around 60KTS to maintain directional stability until the tail is moving fast enough to take over the job.

Less is more on takeoff with regard to rudder input. Also be dead lined up, and don’t forget crosswind correction with the ailerons.  

Another thing that works, if you have the ability, is toe-braking to nudge the nose one way or the other. Sometimes NWS over-steers, particularly once you get up to speed. One or two light, quick taps on the appropriate brake is enough to work the nose back in to line.

I did several searches and found nothing on point.  And actually my issue is not exactly with the nose wheel steering although it is wonky.  What I'm having issues with in a complete lack of rudder authority on take off and landing.  I can taxi no problem even though the nws does drift.  And in flight the rudder works fine, but on take off and landing I can only keep her on the runway with wheel brakes.  I've tried curves and no curves, makes no difference.  Is this normal?

Also, I'm just starting on the F-5 so I've only done the training missions so far and I don't think there's any wind in those scenarios.

7 hours ago, smokey04b said:

I did several searches and found nothing on point.  And actually my issue is not exactly with the nose wheel steering although it is wonky.  What I'm having issues with in a complete lack of rudder authority on take off and landing.  I can taxi no problem even though the nws does drift.  And in flight the rudder works fine, but on take off and landing I can only keep her on the runway with wheel brakes.  I've tried curves and no curves, makes no difference.  Is this normal?

Also, I'm just starting on the F-5 so I've only done the training missions so far and I don't think there's any wind in those scenarios.

 

Aircraft rudders require a certain speed before they become effective. At around 60kts or so you should already start seeing the rudder becoming effective. 

13 hours ago, smokey04b said:

I did several searches and found nothing on point.  And actually my issue is not exactly with the nose wheel steering although it is wonky.  What I'm having issues with in a complete lack of rudder authority on take off and landing.  I can taxi no problem even though the nws does drift.  And in flight the rudder works fine, but on take off and landing I can only keep her on the runway with wheel brakes.  I've tried curves and no curves, makes no difference.  Is this normal?

Also, I'm just starting on the F-5 so I've only done the training missions so far and I don't think there's any wind in those scenarios.

 

The F-5 is pretty wonky on takeoff and landing; the NWS has too much authority for high speeds.  If you're pushing rudder pedals around with NWS active you're probably over-correcting.  The rudder on the ground has too little authority, so the transition is a gentle nudge with NWS and full rudder with without.  Then you get close to rotation and the whole aircraft is bouncing around and acting squirrly...welcome to the good old days! 

There's no checkbox for this.  Just like formation flying it's practice, which is a polite way of saying a lot of frustration is involved.  It sounds like your setup is working (taxi is fine, flying is fine).  It's the transition that takes a bit of finesse.  As Rust Belt said line up on the runway and roll straight for a plane length or two with no inputs to make sure everything is good, then brakes, mil, no brakes, blower.  Unless you have a nasty crosswind you won't need NWS; by the time the drift is bad the rudder will handle it.

All NWS, regardless of the specific model, is meant for low speed only. The proper technique is to line up straight on the runway and accelerate as quickly as possible to speeds that allow the rudder to become effective at controlling the direction. Brakes are to be completely avoided on takeoff. On landing, rudder is used to control direction until it is no longer effective and you should decelerate as quickly as possible through the brief period of rudder ineffectiveness and safe taxi speeds. I never flew a jet that allowed any NWS use above 80 knots and the more modern stuff automatically reduces sensitivity and eventually shuts it off based on airspeed. The DCS F5 is old and not quite that fancy but it is a pretty easy jet to control on the runway.

Thanks for the feedback.  BTW, I am not using NWS on take off or landing.  It's not that big a deal on landing since you're supposed to be braking anyway so a little differential braking to stay center line is ok.  But on take off: wheel brakes on, spool up to 95%, wheel brakes off and I don't know which way she's going to go.  Mostly to the left.  Rudder typically does not have any effect and sometimes makes it worse.  I'm not a pilot myself, but I have 24 years AD in the USAF now (plus 3 enlisted in the Army) mostly spent as a Weapons Officer/Operational Air Planner or a FAO for SOCOM, and I was talking to some pilot friends about this - trying to get them interested in DCS - and they were like, "yeah, applying brakes on take off is not optimal!"

7 hours ago, smokey04b said:

Thanks for the feedback.  BTW, I am not using NWS on take off or landing.  It's not that big a deal on landing since you're supposed to be braking anyway so a little differential braking to stay center line is ok.  But on take off: wheel brakes on, spool up to 95%, wheel brakes off and I don't know which way she's going to go.  Mostly to the left.  Rudder typically does not have any effect and sometimes makes it worse.  I'm not a pilot myself, but I have 24 years AD in the USAF now (plus 3 enlisted in the Army) mostly spent as a Weapons Officer/Operational Air Planner or a FAO for SOCOM, and I was talking to some pilot friends about this - trying to get them interested in DCS - and they were like, "yeah, applying brakes on take off is not optimal!"

It sounds like the nosewheel isnt straight at brake release. Taxi forward a few feet with NWS off prior to initiating your standing takeoff procedure. 

What has helped me get past the same problem was to turn onto the center line holding the NWS button and using rudder then try and roll it straight as possible..  keeping NWS down I release pedal input then wait a second or 2 and release the NWS button assuming you are pointing where you want.  Seems to work ok for me now

That might be the cause, not rolling out centerline far enough.  I'll try the suggestions!