Meet Comco Ikarus C42B
The C42B is a light high-wing aircraft with fixed tricycle landing gear and a Rotax powerplant. Comco’s catalogue lists both 80-hp 912 UL and 100-hp 912 ULS configurations, with model and weight approvals kept separate from the later C42 C/CS.
The manufacturer’s handbook identifies aileron pushrods, an elevator pushrod and rudder cables. It also documents an elevator trim tab, mechanical flap control and a brake lever. These linkages give the cockpit a direct mechanical-control arrangement around its light-aircraft structure.
History & design
A successor to the C22
Comco's handbook traces the C42 design to a 1995 prototype and the first production flight in spring 1996. It describes the aircraft as the successor to the company's C22. That progression developed an established light-aircraft line into the enclosed, side-by-side trainer and touring aircraft familiar today.
Comco Ikarus · C42E Pilot Operating Handbook ↗Manufacturer background chronology; approval and weight limits vary between C42 versions and countries.
One family, several approval configurations
The C42B handbook used here documents a 540 kg version under the German LTF-UL-2019 standard. It separately addresses equipment approvals and warns that towing and other uses depend on national rules. This is why a C42E, an earlier microlight and the documented C42B cannot be assigned one universal weight limit.
www.comco-ikarus.de · Ikarus C42B Pilot Operating Handbook — Issue 1 ↗Systems & details
Linkages and equipment options
The handbook’s aircraft-inspection descriptions identify the aileron rods, elevator connection and rudder cables. Its trim and flap controls are listed on the roof frame, with mechanical and electrical trim variants addressed in the document.
In your simulator
No released simulator product is listed for this aircraft in the developers reviewed. Announced products are excluded.
Manuals & resources
Read the original documentation from the people who created it. Manuals open on their publisher’s website.
Developer documentation
Comco Ikarus C42B — product pagesecure.simmarket.com · Aircraft equipment and developer product details.Aircraft background
Ikarus C42B Pilot Operating Handbook — Issue 1www.comco-ikarus.de · Comco C42B POH, chapters 11, 13–15 and placards. Comco Ikarus C42B — aircraft background and systemswww.comco-ikarus.de · Comco 2024 catalogue, C42B table.Aircraft documentation
C42E Pilot Operating HandbookComco Ikarus · Comco Ikarus C42E handbook background history, 2016 issue; family development context.Built-in force-feedback profiles
Read the documentary basis, editable starting settings and remaining questions for the aircraft you fly. Each explanation refers to the exact profile revision shown.
Catalogue programme-20261011-v3 · 2 profile choices
CLA Ikarus C42B
CLA · Free and Pro · Revision 1 · Partial review
MSFS 2020
The C42B is a light high-wing aircraft with fixed tricycle landing gear and a Rotax powerplant.
Comco Ikarus C42B
Free and Pro · Revision 1 · Partial review
MSFS 2020 · MSFS 2024 · X-Plane 12
The C42B is a light high-wing aircraft with fixed tricycle landing gear and a Rotax powerplant.
Comco Ikarus C42B
The C42B is a light high-wing aircraft with fixed tricycle landing gear and a Rotax powerplant.
Aircraft and simulator scope
- Comco Ikarus C42B · MSFS 2020 · Variant starting point
- Comco Ikarus C42B · MSFS 2024 · Variant starting point
- Comco Ikarus C42B · X-Plane 12 · Variant starting point
Comco Ikarus C42B generic civil family/configuration; physical clauses from the preserved developer description. Exact proprietary equipment, installed package and hardware acceptance are outside this scope.
The simulator model and controls
The C42B is a light high-wing aircraft with fixed tricycle landing gear and a Rotax powerplant.
How this profile feels
Spring resistance builds with the selected airspeed response. A separate aerodynamic term adds speed-dependent control load.
Pitch-trim relief is off. Autopilot following is off.
Aircraft and configuration
The C42 is a lightweight microlight used for training, recreation and VFR flying.
About the values
Strengths are normalized hardware-feel settings. They set the effect balance; hand force depends on the device and its limits. The IAS reference is a tuning value.
What the documentation establishes
The C42 is a lightweight microlight used for training, recreation and VFR flying.
Documentary review and sources
These decisions describe the documentary basis and remaining gaps for this revision. Aircraft documentation and a starting setting describe different kinds of evidence.
Aircraft and variant
ReviewedThe C42B is a light high-wing aircraft with fixed tricycle landing gear and a Rotax powerplant.
Flight controls
Not yet reviewedThe C42B is a light high-wing aircraft with fixed tricycle landing gear and a Rotax powerplant.
Trim
Not yet reviewedPitch trim: Elevator tab. Pitch relief is off, with stored authority 0; roll authority is 0.
Autopilot and stability
Not yet reviewedAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel.
Equipment
Not yet reviewedThe C42 is a lightweight microlight used for training, recreation and VFR flying.
Speeds and limits
InheritedThe indicated-speed references set the profile response scale; they are separate from aircraft operating limits.
Simulator integration
Not yet reviewedThe profile targets msfs2020, msfs2024, xplane12. Add-on-specific controls use only the supported references configured by this profile.
Force-feedback settings
InheritedThe settings define the profile’s effect balance. Device output limits affect physical hand force.
Starting settings and their rationale
These configured values are starting estimates. The explanations describe what each setting controls; physical validation appears separately below.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Spring strength | Starting value0.74 | What it controls and whyControls: Aileron/elevator rods; rudder cables. The baseline spring is 0.74. Its low-speed blend reaches baseline strength at 40 KIAS. |
| Master force gain | Starting value0.85 | What it controls and whyScales overall profile strength while preserving effect balance, subject to device and output limits. |
| Profile force gain | Starting value0.8 | What it controls and whyThe aerodynamic-load gain is 0.8 with an indicated-speed reference of 80 KIAS. This supplies speed-dependent loading alongside the spring. |
| Force tuning speed/reference | Starting value80 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS reference for aerodynamic loading. It is an estimate, not published cruise TAS or a flight limit. |
| Spring response reference speed | Starting value40 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed blend reaches baseline strength; high-speed stiffening also uses it. |
| Aileron force scale | Starting value0.72 | What it controls and whyRoll and pitch aerodynamic scales are 0.72 and 1, respectively. They set the aerodynamic axis balance. No custom spring-travel curve is enabled. |
| Elevator force scale | Starting value1 | What it controls and whyScales pitch aerodynamic loading; pitch spring travel and trim responses are separate settings. |
| Trim feel | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyRetained for compatibility and group membership. Trim relief, rather than this flag, controls centre movement. |
| Trim relief | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAllows trim relief with supported control law and valid telemetry. Axis authorities set its amount. |
| Autopilot follow | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel. |
| Autopilot neutral hold | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyPermits centering hold during a supported AP state, separate from following a moving target. |
| Output force limit | Starting value0.55 | What it controls and whyCaps directed-force output. Native spring effects and device limits remain separate. |
All 44 starting settings and their rationale
The settings define the profile’s effect balance. Device output limits affect physical hand force.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Spring strength | Starting value0.74 | What it controls and whyControls: Aileron/elevator rods; rudder cables. The baseline spring is 0.74. Its low-speed blend reaches baseline strength at 40 KIAS. |
| Profile force gain | Starting value0.8 | What it controls and whyThe aerodynamic-load gain is 0.8 with an indicated-speed reference of 80 KIAS. This supplies speed-dependent loading alongside the spring. |
| Master force gain | Starting value0.85 | What it controls and whyScales overall profile strength while preserving effect balance, subject to device and output limits. |
| Output force limit | Starting value0.55 | What it controls and whyCaps directed-force output. Native spring effects and device limits remain separate. |
| Elevator force scale | Starting value1 | What it controls and whyScales pitch aerodynamic loading; pitch spring travel and trim responses are separate settings. |
| Aileron force scale | Starting value0.72 | What it controls and whyRoll and pitch aerodynamic scales are 0.72 and 1, respectively. They set the aerodynamic axis balance. No custom spring-travel curve is enabled. |
Comco Ikarus C42B: 80 indicated knots is the inherited control-feel reference; it is not cruise TAS, a flight limit or a measured load threshold. Speed scheduling remains an editable estimate.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Force tuning speed/reference | Starting value80 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS reference for aerodynamic loading. It is an estimate, not published cruise TAS or a flight limit. |
| QSpring Start Knots | Starting value11.2 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed spring blend starts rising. This is a feel threshold, not a flight limit. |
| Spring response reference speed | Starting value40 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed blend reaches baseline strength; high-speed stiffening also uses it. |
Comco Ikarus C42B: exact trim axes, mechanism and portable telemetry contract are unresolved in the inspected source. Trim feel, trim relief, force trim and hydraulic centering are disabled for this generic choice.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Trim feel | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyRetained for compatibility and group membership. Trim relief, rather than this flag, controls centre movement. |
| Trim relief | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAllows trim relief with supported control law and valid telemetry. Axis authorities set its amount. |
| Force Trim Enabled | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyEnables local force trim, separate from aircraft-owned trim and add-on integration qualification. |
| Autopilot follow | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel. |
Exact configured values with software explanations. Force magnitudes remain editable estimates; disabled features retain inactive values.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Spring deadband | Starting value0.045 | What it controls and whySets travel around the centre before the baseline spring resists. Smaller values engage it sooner. |
| QBlend Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyAllows baseline spring strength to rise with indicated airspeed where the control law permits it. |
| QSpring Minimum Factor | Starting value0.5 | What it controls and whySets low-speed spring strength as a fraction of baseline when blending is enabled. One keeps full strength. |
| Airspeed spring stiffening gain | Starting value0.15 | What it controls and whyThe high-speed spring-stiffening gain is 0.15. It strengthens the permitted spring response above 40 KIAS, with the squared-speed ratio capped at 5. |
| Airspeed spring stiffening limit | Starting value5 | What it controls and whyLimits the squared airspeed ratio used for high-speed spring stiffening; it is not a device-force cap. |
| Elevator Authority | Starting value0 | What it controls and whyPitch trim: Elevator tab. Pitch relief is off, with stored authority 0; roll authority is 0. |
| Aileron Authority | Starting value0 | What it controls and whyScales supported roll-trim relief and permitted centre movement. Zero removes roll response. |
| GLoad Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyAllows load-factor changes to modify permitted spring laws. Passive fly-by-wire feel can suppress it. |
| Rate Damping Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables rate damping with the configured coefficients and control law. |
| Autopilot follow authority | Starting value0.1 | What it controls and whySets admitted AP-follow gain, not a percentage of travel. Runtime ownership and input limits still apply. |
| Autopilot neutral hold | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyPermits centering hold during a supported AP state, separate from following a moving target. |
| Autopilot neutral hold strength | Starting value0.6 | What it controls and whySets admitted AP neutral-hold strength; inactive while neutral hold is disabled. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables aerodynamic cues; each still needs nonzero strength and its simulator conditions. |
| Gain | Starting value0.35 | What it controls and whySets stall-buffet strength. Zero removes the cue without changing simulator stalls or warnings. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets high-Mach buffet strength; onset and full-strength thresholds are separate. |
| Gain | Starting value0.14 | What it controls and whySets flap buffet at the configured position and speed gates. Flap movement texture is separate. |
| Maximum flap index | Starting value3 | What it controls and whySets the final flap index for detent normalization. UP plus three detents uses maximum index3. |
| Minimum flap index | Starting value2 | What it controls and whySets the first flap detent that admits buffet; this is a handle index, not degrees. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets gear aerodynamic buffet; movement and ground-contact cues are separate. |
| Shaker Enabled | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyPermits shaker at supported warning conditions; the switch does not establish aircraft equipment. |
| Stick shaker amplitude | Starting value0.5 | What it controls and whySets triggered shaker strength; inactive while the shaker feature is disabled. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables ground effects; each still needs its own strength and contact or motion telemetry. |
| Gain | Starting value0.4 | What it controls and whySets rolling texture strength, modified by speed, surface and undercarriage configuration. |
| Gain | Starting value0.25 | What it controls and whySets gear-bump texture during ground motion, separate from touchdown impact. |
| Gain | Starting value0.65 | What it controls and whySets landing-impact strength; landing telemetry and response shape determine the pulse. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets reverse-thrust vibration with valid reverser and engine conditions. Zero removes the cue. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables engine cues with nonzero settings and valid running-engine telemetry. |
| Gain | Starting value0.12 | What it controls and whySets estimated engine vibration using configured telemetry and response, not measured cockpit vibration. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables accessory cues with configured strengths and observed accessory movement. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets texture from observed flap movement; a command without movement does not establish the cue. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets texture from observed gear movement, separate from aerodynamic and touchdown effects. |
Limits and open questions
- Trim use is mentioned but axes/mechanism are not established. Unlike the source product parent, this generic fallback disables trim feel/relief; no product lights/transponder defects are imported.
- Generic airframe starting scope; exact installed add-on matching, custom signals and device operation remain unqualified.
- Force magnitudes and scheduling are inherited estimates. No physical calibration or certification is claimed.
Physical validation
No physical force validation is recorded in this public catalogue for this revision. Documentary review and software checks do not establish how a particular device feels.
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