Start here
A few places to begin, from the aircraft’s story to the people who fly it.
Aircraft and configuration
The Ford 5-AT is the larger Trimotor configuration powered by three Wasp radial engines. It has fixed landing gear and no wing flaps. Ted Cook's X-Plane 12 package provides optional portable G430 navigation and a copilot fuel-and-gauge popup.
Ford 5-AT Trimotor
X-Plane.org authorized store · Read more ↗Meet Ford 5-AT Trimotor
The Ford 5-AT is the larger Trimotor configuration powered by three Wasp radial engines. It has fixed landing gear and no wing flaps. Ted Cook's X-Plane 12 package provides optional portable G430 navigation and a copilot fuel-and-gauge popup.
History & design
The more powerful Tri-Motor
The 5-AT followed the earlier 4-AT and entered service in 1928 with three Pratt & Whitney Wasp engines. Corrugated all-metal construction and the Ford name helped make the type recognizable during the growth of scheduled passenger flying.
National Air and Space Museum · Ford 5-AT Tri-Motor ↗Ford 5-AT; Smithsonian NC9683
An airliner with several working lives
Smithsonian aircraft NC9683 went to Southwest Air Fast Express in 1929 and then American Airlines. Later service took it through Central America and Mexico, cargo and agricultural work, and eventually a period as ground accommodation. American recovered and restored it before its museum donation.
National Air and Space Museum · Ford 5-AT Tri-Motor ↗Ford 5-AT; Smithsonian NC9683
Systems & details
The displayed aircraft is a 5-AT-B
Its cabin, engines and dimensions belong to the larger, Wasp-powered version of the Tri-Motor. The earlier 4-AT and later one-off variants should not be folded into the same specification. The museum’s account also makes clear that this surviving aircraft had a restoration history, not an untouched airline interior.
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.
Simulator documentation
Ford 5-AT Trimotor — simulator documentationX-Plane.org authorized store · Ford 5-AT Trimotor product descriptionAircraft documentation
Ford 5-AT Tri-MotorNational Air and Space Museum · Museum 5-AT-B NC9683 history; conflicting family first-flight dates excludedBuilt-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
Ted Cook Ford 5-AT Wheels
Ted Cook · Free and Pro · Revision 2 · Inherited starting point
X-Plane 12
The larger 5-AT Trimotor with three Wasp radial engines.
Ford 5-AT Trimotor
Free and Pro · Revision 1 · Partial review
MSFS 2020 · MSFS 2024 · X-Plane 12
The larger 5-AT Trimotor with three Wasp radial engines.
Ford 5-AT Trimotor
The larger 5-AT Trimotor with three Wasp radial engines.
Aircraft and simulator scope
- Ford 5-AT Trimotor · MSFS 2020 · Variant starting point
- Ford 5-AT Trimotor · MSFS 2024 · Variant starting point
- Ford 5-AT Trimotor · X-Plane 12 · Variant starting point
Universal named airframe/configuration; intended MSFS2020/MSFS2024/XP12 starting point, not add-on or edition acceptance. · Physical facts and prior documentary review are reused from their archived dated sources; new market availability is not inferred.
The simulator model and controls
The larger 5-AT Trimotor with three Wasp radial engines.
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
Three Wasp radial engines in the larger 5-AT configuration, no flaps and no retractable flight undercarriage.
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
Ford 5-AT Trimotor: Three Wasp radial engines in the larger 5-AT configuration, no flaps and no retractable flight undercarriage.
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 larger 5-AT Trimotor with three Wasp radial engines.
Flight controls
InheritedThe larger 5-AT Trimotor with three Wasp radial engines.
Trim
InheritedThe profile uses the trim behaviour configured below. Pitch relief is off, with stored authority 0; roll authority is 0.
Autopilot and stability
ReviewedAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel.
Equipment
InheritedThree Wasp radial engines in the larger 5-AT configuration, no flaps and no retractable flight undercarriage.
Speeds and limits
InheritedThe indicated-speed references set the profile response scale; they are separate from aircraft operating limits.
Simulator integration
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 whyThis profile uses reversible-control loading for Ford 5-AT Trimotor. The baseline spring is 0.74. Its low-speed blend reaches baseline strength at 45 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 90 KIAS. This supplies speed-dependent loading alongside the spring. |
| Force tuning speed/reference | Starting value90 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 value45.0 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 value0.8 | What it controls and whyRoll and pitch aerodynamic scales are 0.8 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 whyThis profile uses reversible-control loading for Ford 5-AT Trimotor. The baseline spring is 0.74. Its low-speed blend reaches baseline strength at 45 KIAS. |
| Profile force gain | Starting value0.8 | What it controls and whyThe aerodynamic-load gain is 0.8 with an indicated-speed reference of 90 KIAS. This supplies speed-dependent loading alongside the spring. |
| 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 value0.8 | What it controls and whyRoll and pitch aerodynamic scales are 0.8 and 1, respectively. They set the aerodynamic axis balance. No custom spring-travel curve is enabled. |
| Output force limit | Starting value0.55 | What it controls and whyCaps directed-force output. Native spring effects and device limits remain separate. |
Ford 5-AT Trimotor: No public calibrated trim-to-inceptor relationship was established. Automatic trim-neutral movement is disabled. Estimated pitch/roll trim authorities 0/0; exact add-on sign, travel, units and build-specific neutral remain unqualified. Rudder trim never substitutes for roll trim.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Elevator Authority | Starting value0 | What it controls and whyThe profile uses the trim behaviour configured below. 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. |
Ford 5-AT Trimotor: 90 KIAS is the retained estimated tuning reference. It is not published cruise TAS, VNE, a new flight limit or a measured force threshold. Source-specific operating quantities remain attached to their original configuration and conditions.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Force tuning speed/reference | Starting value90 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS reference for aerodynamic loading. It is an estimate, not published cruise TAS or a flight limit. |
Contact presets are software estimates. Flap and retracting-gear motion remain disabled.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Gain | Starting value0.4 | What it controls and whyContact presets are software estimates. Flap and retracting-gear motion remain disabled. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whyContact presets are software estimates. Flap and retracting-gear motion remain disabled. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whyContact presets are software estimates. Flap and retracting-gear motion remain disabled. |
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 value0.04 | What it controls and whySets travel around the centre before the baseline spring resists. Smaller values engage it sooner. |
| Master force gain | Starting value0.85 | What it controls and whyScales overall profile strength while preserving effect balance, subject to device and output limits. |
| 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 value0.55 | What it controls and whySets low-speed spring strength as a fraction of baseline when blending is enabled. One keeps full strength. |
| QSpring Start Knots | Starting value8 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 value45.0 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed blend reaches baseline strength; high-speed stiffening also uses it. |
| 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 45 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. |
| 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. |
| 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 | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel. |
| 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 | 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 value0.25 | 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. |
Limits and open questions
- Ford 5-AT Trimotor is a universal starting point; exact add-on matching, edition operation and physical hand-force calibration remain unqualified.
- Autopilot movement and unknown custom trim, failure or force-input signals are disabled. Confirm the selected equipment fit and trim direction for the implementation in use.
- Force magnitudes and speed tuning are editable inherited estimates. Owner physical and installed-aircraft acceptance remain pending.
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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