Jet Aircraft Overspeed Warnings at All Altitudes in FS2004

BRolland Guest

Is anyone else having problems with "Overspeed" warnings with the Jet Aircraft? I am new to FS2004 and all the Jets are doing it at all altitudes...even up to 39,000 feet.

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Pro Member Chief Captain
Matthew Shope (mypilot) Chief Captain

What jet are you talking about. In most jets your airspeed can't exceed 340 knots. If you are at 39,000 feet your airspeed indicator will go to about 270 knots before giving an overspeed warning. If you look at your ground speed on your GPS it will read about 480 knots and 0.82 mach. Hope that helps. FAA (fedaral aircraft administration) rules tells you that you can't exceed 250 knots below 10,000 feet MSL.

Pro Member Captain
John Hodges (originalgrunge) Captain

To illustrate MyPilot's point, the next time you are in the default 737, look at the spedometer on the left side of the panel. You'll see the yellow bug showing what the MCP speed is set to, the needle to the speed you are actually traveling at, and a red and white warning band that shows what the "overspeed limit" will kick in at. If you notice, when you're on the ground it is set well up in the 300s, but after reaching cruising altitude, the white and red band will be at 260 something!

Guest Ed Guest

Yes, you can overspeed with a jet at any altitude-- jets have power to spare, you can easily exceed the maximum safe speed for your airframe. The easiest way to avoid it is to use the Automatic Throttle (A/T) setting. I keep it at 250 kts up to 10,000 feet, up to about 300 kts on the climb up to cruising altitude, and set it to Mach .82 at cruise altitude, or what ever is the maximum mach speed for your aircraft. Descending, I usually back it off to 290 kts down right above to 10,000 feet, then start slowing down for approach.

The only jet I fly routinely is the Lear, but I believe all the jets have an A/T.

Ed

Pro Member Chief Captain
Alex (Fire_Emblem_Master) Chief Captain

It could be that he's confusing Indicated with True airspeeds?

I don't feel well enough to illustrate the point thorugly, but Open up the GPS, and then look in the bottom left corner, you'll see G/S that's your true airspeed.

Also use the Mach Number indicator

Pro Member Chief Captain
Jonathan (99jolegg) Chief Captain

I thought that Ground Speed (GS) and True Airspeed (TAS) were different. You can work out GS by looking at the GPS, and you work out TAS by multiplying IAS x 0.02 x (Altitude / 1000) + IAS. This could be wrong though 😕

BRolland Guest

Your answers are incredible. I didn;t think I would get evn one answer so quickly, but I got many. I didn't get this much help at Microsoft after I emailed them.

I'm hooked!!!

Barry 😀

Pro Member Chief Captain
Alex (Fire_Emblem_Master) Chief Captain

The words "Help" and "Microsoft" are not good bedfellows

Pro Member First Officer
leadfoot First Officer

In still air, ground speed and true air speed is the same, however you can have TAS and ground speed be different ; If I my true airspeed is 450 kts and I have a 50 kt headwind, my ground speed will be 400kts Vice versa for a tailwind.

Pro Member First Officer
horrgakx First Officer

BRolland wrote:

I didn't get this much help at Microsoft after I emailed them.

<COUGH> you're surprised at that???

Pro Member Chief Captain
Matthew Shope (mypilot) Chief Captain

BRolland wrote:

Your answers are incredible. I didn;t think I would get evn one answer so quickly, but I got many. I didn't get this much help at Microsoft after I emailed them.

I'm hooked!!!

Barry 😀

You can get quick answers here. How about becoming a member?

Pro Member First Officer
rob (Habu) First Officer

Plz remember that ground speed and airspeed are the same at sea level with no wind. Airspeed is really the speed of air passing over the wings, ground speed is how fast you are going over the ground. At sealevel, with no wind, when you go 150 knots groundspeed, your airspeed is 150 Knots. As you climb, the air is thinner, so your airspeed at 150 knots ground speed is less than 150 Knots. The fastest air-breathing aircraft in the world is still the SR-71. It is limited to 426 Knots airspeed. At 80,000 ft, this same 426 knots airspeed was about 2000+ knots ground speed. So, if you look at the altimiter, it has a barber pole on it that reflects the fastest safe airspeed. Any time you go faster than this barber pole speed, the airspeed warning will sound. Get your speed right up to the barber pole and that's as fast as you can safely go. rob

Pro Member Captain
Ian Stephens (ianstephens) Captain
Ian Stephens is an expert on this topic. Read his bio here.

It's quite common for newcomers to FS2004 to experience this issue. The "Overspeed" warning can be a bit perplexing, especially when it occurs at higher altitudes like 39,000 feet. Let's dive into it.

1. Aircraft Configuration:
First and foremost, it's essential to verify the aircraft's configuration. If the autothrottle is engaged, it should automatically adjust your speed. However, if it's not active or improperly set, your aircraft might inadvertently speed up beyond its designated limits.

2. Weight & Balance:
Ensure your aircraft isn't overloaded. Overweight planes can impact performance and may lead to overspeed warnings. You can adjust this in the aircraft settings menu.

3. Flight Conditions:
Sometimes, atmospheric conditions, especially strong tailwinds, can give your aircraft an unexpected speed boost. While this is more prevalent at lower altitudes, it's still something to consider.

4. Aircraft Model:
Not all aircraft models in flight simulators are created equal. Some third-party aircraft might not be as finely tuned as others, leading to these warnings. Ensure you're using a trusted, well-reviewed model.

Side note: From my knowledge, the overspeed warning is something pilots need to be wary of in real life as well. It's a mechanism to ensure the safety of the aircraft and its passengers.

5. Cross-check with Modern Simulators:
Interestingly, if you ever hop onto newer platforms like Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 or X-Plane 12, you might notice that these platforms have enhanced their systems. If you apply the same flying techniques and encounter similar issues, the problem may lie in the way you're handling the jet rather than the simulator itself.

Solutions:

  • Always check your autothrottle and ensure it's active.
  • Adjust the weight & balance of your aircraft.
  • Be mindful of flight conditions.
  • Switch to a more reliable aircraft model if needed.
  • Practice on newer flight sim platforms to cross-check.

In conclusion, ensure you're monitoring your speed and making necessary adjustments, especially during altitude changes. With practice, these warnings will reduce as you get more familiar with the nuances of jet aircraft in FS2004. Safe flying!

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