Start here
A few places to begin, from the aircraft’s story to the people who fly it.
Aircraft and configuration
RedWing's Latécoère 28 package includes the fixed-wheel 28.1 and float-equipped 28.3. The single-piston aircraft has cable-operated controls, pitch and rudder trim, and no wing flaps. The float version carries larger tanks for long-range flying.
Latecoere 28.1 Wheels
RedWing · Read more ↗Meet Latecoere 28.1 Wheels
RedWing's Latécoère 28 package includes the fixed-wheel 28.1 and float-equipped 28.3. The single-piston aircraft has cable-operated controls, pitch and rudder trim, and no wing flaps. The float version carries larger tanks for long-range flying.
History & design
Built for mail and passengers
The Latécoère 28 was a civil transport carrying mail and up to eight passengers. It became an important aircraft in Aéropostale’s intercontinental network, particularly its South American services.
Latécoère Foundation · Latécoère aviation history ↗Latécoère Foundation: postal aircraft and floatplane distinction
A floatplane crosses the South Atlantic
In May 1930, Jean Mermoz flew a float-equipped Latécoère 28 from Senegal to Brazil with 130 kg of mail. The foundation records a flight of 19 hours 35 minutes. This achievement belongs to the modified seaplane, rather than every landplane version of the type.
Latécoère Foundation · Latécoère aviation history ↗Latécoère Foundation: postal aircraft and floatplane distinction
Systems & details
Controls and equipment
The 28.1 supports passenger and cargo payloads. The 28.3 uses fixed floats without wheel braking. The released manual covers both versions; older website work-in-progress wording describes an earlier development state.
In your simulator
No released simulator product is listed for this aircraft in the developers reviewed. Announced products are excluded.
Manuals & resources
Find your next read
Choose a topic for a short introduction and a link to the original source. Simulator references identify the developer and edition they cover.
Simulator documentation
Controls and equipmentLatecoere 28.1 Wheels
The 28.1 supports passenger and cargo payloads. The 28.3 uses fixed floats without wheel braking. The released manual covers both versions; older website work-in-progress wording describes an earlier development state.
Manual 0.2.0A · pages 13, 21, 35, 46, 62–63 and 71–73
RedWing · Read the source ↗Read the original documentation from the people who created it. Manuals open on their publisher’s website.
Simulator documentation
Latecoere 28.1 Wheels — simulator documentationRedWing · Manual 0.2.0A · pages 13, 21, 35, 46, 62–63 and 71–73Aircraft history
Latécoère aviation historyLatécoère Foundation · Latécoère Foundation: postal aircraft and floatplane distinctionBuilt-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 · 4 profile choices
RedWing Latecoere 28.3 Floats
RedWing · Free and Pro · Revision 2 · Inherited starting point
MSFS 2020
A single-engine mail aircraft with land and long-range float versions.
RedWing Latecoere 28.1 Wheels
RedWing · Free and Pro · Revision 2 · Inherited starting point
MSFS 2020
A single-engine mail aircraft with land and long-range float versions.
Latecoere 28.1 Wheels
Free and Pro · Revision 1 · Partial review
MSFS 2020 · MSFS 2024 · X-Plane 12
A single-engine mail aircraft with land and long-range float versions.
Latecoere 28.3 Floats
Free and Pro · Revision 1 · Partial review
MSFS 2020 · MSFS 2024 · X-Plane 12
A single-engine mail aircraft with land and long-range float versions.
Latecoere 28.3 Floats
A single-engine mail aircraft with land and long-range float versions.
Aircraft and simulator scope
- Latecoere 28.3 Floats · MSFS 2020 · Variant starting point
- Latecoere 28.3 Floats · MSFS 2024 · Variant starting point
- Latecoere 28.3 Floats · 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
A single-engine mail aircraft with land and long-range float versions.
How this profile feels
Spring resistance builds with the selected airspeed response. A separate aerodynamic term adds speed-dependent control load.
Valid trim provides the configured pressure relief. Autopilot following is off.
Aircraft and configuration
Single-piston mail aircraft, no wing flaps. Fixed floats and enlarged long-range tanks; no wheel braking.
Controls and equipment
The 28.1 supports passenger and cargo payloads. The 28.3 uses fixed floats without wheel braking. The released manual covers both versions; older website work-in-progress wording describes an earlier development state.
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
Latecoere 28.3 Floats: Single-piston mail aircraft, no wing flaps. Fixed floats and enlarged long-range tanks; no wheel braking.
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
ReviewedA single-engine mail aircraft with land and long-range float versions.
Flight controls
InheritedA single-engine mail aircraft with land and long-range float versions.
Trim
InheritedThe profile uses the trim behaviour configured below. Pitch authority 0.3 provides load relief and permitted centre movement; roll authority is 0.
Autopilot and stability
ReviewedAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel.
Equipment
InheritedSingle-piston mail aircraft, no wing flaps. Fixed floats and enlarged long-range tanks; no wheel braking.
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 whyThe 28.1 supports passenger and cargo payloads. The baseline spring is 0.74. Its low-speed blend reaches baseline strength at 47.5 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 95 KIAS. This supplies speed-dependent loading alongside the spring. |
| Force tuning speed/reference | Starting value95 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 value47.5 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 value1.0 | 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 valueEnabled | 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 whyThe 28.1 supports passenger and cargo payloads. The baseline spring is 0.74. Its low-speed blend reaches baseline strength at 47.5 KIAS. |
| Profile force gain | Starting value0.8 | What it controls and whyThe aerodynamic-load gain is 0.8 with an indicated-speed reference of 95 KIAS. This supplies speed-dependent loading alongside the spring. |
| Elevator force scale | Starting value1.0 | 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. |
| Output force limit | Starting value0.55 | What it controls and whyCaps directed-force output. Native spring effects and device limits remain separate. |
Latecoere 28.3 Floats: Elevator/rudder trim levers documented; pitch-only estimated relief, no rudder-to-roll coupling. Estimated pitch/roll trim authorities 0.3/0; 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 value0.3 | What it controls and whyThe profile uses the trim behaviour configured below. Pitch authority 0.3 provides load relief and permitted centre movement; 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. |
Latecoere 28.3 Floats: 95 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 value95 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS reference for aerodynamic loading. It is an estimate, not published cruise TAS or a flight limit. |
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 value47.5 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 47.5 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 valueEnabled | 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 value0.24 | What it controls and whySets rolling texture strength, modified by speed, surface and undercarriage configuration. |
| Gain | Starting value0.18 | What it controls and whySets gear-bump texture during ground motion, separate from touchdown impact. |
| Gain | Starting value0.32 | 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
- Latecoere 28.3 Floats 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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