how to slow down easily with FAR

[Kerbollo11]

the annoying thing with far is that in re-entry i dont slow down enough then the parachutes rips off how can i slow easily i'm using 3 parachutes if a picture is needed i can add one

Edited June 3, 2014 by Kerbollo11
typo

[Cetera]

You have to fly your spacecraft realistically. You need to figure out a way to stay in the upper atmosphere as long as possible and let it slow you down. There are lots of ways to do this, from a very high periapsis and many aerobraking orbits, to wings to give you lift, or using your heat shield as a wing to generate lift and keep you you.

If you are coming in at less than 3km/s and you keep your periapsis no lower than 35k, you're going to be fine. If you are coming in steeper than that, you're going to have real trouble. If you are moving much faster, you should probably aerobrake a few times.

Use quicksaves, and practice your re-entry profiles and what your ship can take. It can be easier to use a slightly unbalanced ship to help your heatshield generate lift.

Once you are down below 10km, keep an eye on your speed. If you're still moving really fast, let the atmosphere slow you down more. If you're opening your chutes at 1km/s, you're going to have problems. Get under 500m/s. Get under 300m/s. The atmosphere will really start to slow you down quickly under 10k, as it thickens very rapidly with decreasing altitude, just as it thins very quickly going up.

[Pondafarr]

Ditto everything Cetera said. If you use mods, B9 aerobrakes can be useful as well.

[xrayfishx]

Another mod that helps is RealChute. It makes the parachutes open slowly, therefore gradually decelerating your spacecraft, instead of making a 20g bump. If you don't want to use that, set the parachute deployment pressure to 0.5, it will open it at a very low altitude so you've already slowed down by that time.

[WeatherMAN]

Agreeing with what Cetera and xrayfishx said: RealChute is a great mod that helps prevent the parachute snapping and with FAR you need to really skim the atmosphere. When I first started using FAR I realized just how 'steep' my entry was. Your goal is to enter into the atmosphere just enough that you won't get flung back out of the atmosphere on the other side. It takes practice, but it is well worth the quicksave/quickload time!

[Streetwind]

Even stock KSP has a drogue chute you can use at high speeds and high altitudes in order to slow yourself down.

[plasmeus]

B9 airbrakes are great(even if they are slightly op).

[Albert VDS]

Firespitter has airbrakes: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/24551-Firespitter-propeller-plane-and-helicopter-parts-v6-3-(May-6th)-for-KSP-0-23-5