Casa's prop control system?

[xpih]

Hi folks,

As this is my first post here after being a reader for a long time, I should  introduce myself first. I belong to that diverse and much maligned group known as 'aviation enthusiasts'. In particular, I design aircraft and scenery add-ons for the cross-platform desktop flight simulator X-Plane (yes, there are other sims out there other than Microsoft's!). These are distributed for free (its purely a hobby) from my website,  XPIH - The X-Plane Irish Hub (which Frank is good enough to have had listed in his Links section for some time).

Now, last week I released, after an overly long gestation period, a model of '252'. This, I should note, was created with the aid of pictures and other information from Frank and John McMahon of this parish (Thanks guys, I am sure you gave up long ago on ever seeing your contributions bearing fruit! ).

My query, which I am sure someone here has the expertise to answer, involves the proper throttle/mixture/prop controls for the plane. I have had complaints from users that the aircraft is missing engine rpm/prop pitch controls. I am not an expert on aircraft systems so while I do have better than average layman's knowledge, i know I made have made an error. I do appreciate that most (but certainly not all) free-turbine constant-speed turboprop aircraft have controls per engine (usually pedestal-mounted levers on large aircraft) for Throttle, Fuel Mixture and Max Prop/Eng RPM and that the pilot selects a max rpm and that the prop pitch is adjusted automatically to match that rpm. However, all pictures of the Casa's cockpit that i have seen show just two pairs of levers on the central pedestal. One pair is obviously the throttles. I have assumed that the other pair is the fuel mixture (I can't read the markings clearly in any picture I have) as I can't imagine it otherwise plus I have read vague references to a 'fully-automated' prop control system and I have interpreted this to mean that there is no fine manual control system for the prop rpm and pitch, just High and Low Idle settings and reverse pitch. Am I totally off the wall? Would anybody care to clarify how the plane's controls are set up?

BTW, this be what the Casa looks like in X-Plane:

[xpih]

Nobody knows?  '>

[P.Doff]

Hi there,
           The two large levers on the left with black tops are the throttle controls. They have three areas of play as such.
At start up they are set at ground idle and the props are feathered. The next setting forward of that is flight idle(props adjust for more thrust also!) and they are held here by a gate so that if you want to go back to ground idle you have to "positivly" pull them back through flight idle.You then have the area from flight idle to full power which sets the power of the engines in flight and determines your speed, in lay mans terms.Finally, to reverse the props, i.e reverse thrust, you have to squeeze two "trigger" type mechanisms under the grips of the throttle and pull them back past ground idle into the "reverse" area which is marked on the console by a hatched area.
The two smaller levers on the right with red tops are the fuel cocks. When the engines are turned over at start up the N1 speed (Compressor) rises and at a certain % RPM these levers are pushed forward to introduce fuel to their respective engines which then ignite and starts the whole perpetual process off.(Not everyone realises that once you start a gas turbine ,you no longer need an ignition source,once it has fuel it keeps going, with the burning exhaust gases turning the turbine at the rear which in turn powers the compressor and starts the process again!) These levers can be used to refine engine RPM also but this is getting complicated enough as it is!!!
Hope this helps a bit??

[John K]

P Doff, expect a barrage of insults from FF when she reads that you've given out military secrets over the 'net!
Always good for a laugh, has she posted recently?

[P.Doff]

Nah, havnt heard a peep from her/him in a while. With regards to "top secret" info, we're rightly F@~ked if the terrorists start watching Discovery Wings!!LOL!!!