phemark

I get it, multiple movable things it is. Thanks

Hi, Now I am attaching one big wing to a body of a plane, and then later add other wins to that main wing. Then later I can move the whole wing easily in order to adjust CoL/CoM. However, if I want to attach more wing parts straight to the body, then I need to move them separately when adjusting CoL/CoM. Is it possible to group parts (mainly wings) in editor, so that they all could be moved together? (Like ctrl+click in other software) Thanks

This was it!!!!! Life saver! Tested by moving to a side, and works. Explains removing canards as elevator too:) Thanks again Alshain! P.S. It is stupid rule, to be fair:)

Tested, brakes are all fine. What I discovered now: 1) Start engines - dont move 2) Push W (nose down), get 10m/s, continue at 10m/2 3) Doesnt accelerate more 4) Push W again, get 10m/s more 5) and so on So it only accelerates for a bit, when I push W... weeeeeird If anyone want to try it out, here is craft file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/vfh20afvgdok8l3/Small%20sattelite%20lifter%20v2.craft?dl=0 And if anyone wont offer any solution, ill have to give up with this type of plane...

Ok, more pics: Full throttle, standing still (back wheel is lower than front) And this is what I noticed - blue arrow is pointing forward: 1) Why? 2) Shouldnt it affect only after plane got some speed, not at 0 speed?

Ok, another question - what could be wrong, that when I start engines, I dont move, and only start moving, if I push planes nose down ​(W key)? Could it be because CoM and CoL are very far to front? P.S. I think all of my problems in this thread, is because of CoL a lot in front, as when it was in back/middle, all was normal..

It was advanced canards! I put them as elevators, and they mess things up. Strange thing is, that even if they are disabled for everything, and dont move, plane still steers.... anyone experienced this? Anyway - dont use Advanced Canards as elevators.

I rebuild everything using the same engines, yet it still steers left. I think its something to do with them. When I run them both, one generates 0.03 electricity, another 0.04 - shouldnt it be the same? (both 100 limit)

SOLVED - dont put anything behind engines! Hi, I made several planes today, and all were acting fine. However, with this, I cannot understand where the problem is. It has 2 turbo jets, and if I turn them both on, it instantly turns left. However, if I keep right engine off, it goes straight... I removed all but one central intake, still the same. Any reason what is happening? You can see that all wheels are straight, and its going straight with 1 engine. As soon as 2nd engine is engaged, it goes to the right. And here you can see that everything is fine - CoL is just behing CoM, and CoT is centred... I also tried various wheel positions, still the same... Any ideas?

Ok, I get it now. So, I made another SSTO plane, using RAPIER - this one is so much easier to fly - lift of, straight to 10km, then quickly go to 30' to reach ~25km 1600m/s, then switch to rockets. I liiike Rapier. (But, to be fair, I made sure that CoM doesnt change much with fuel and payload detaching, this makes a big difference, as you mentioned). However, I barely, but made to orbit - last 15delta m/s was using RCS . I guess RCS will be used to deorbit as well (I still have LF to land). (And my Mun satallite is launching for the first time from a plane - cooool!) P.S. Good suggestion putting stuff inside cargo (like RCS tanks) P.P.S. I just dont like all those air intakes........ Thanks!

Rapier is a beast! 2-in-1 and powerful! Question - how to know how much extra LF or less Oxidiser to take? Take a rough guess?

Thanks guys, I really learned a lot! I just researched Aerospike/Rapier, so will try to use them next. I will also start adding something in the cargo bays... em.. for testing . Thanks, but I'm also sure I will create more threads in the future about other things

Thanks for all the tips guys! I replaced 2 basic jets with 4 turbo jets, added moar intakes, and managed to reach orbit and land! THANKS! Now, to finish up and go build more SSTO with payloads, a couple of questions: 1) In the picture bellow, you see I am at 23.5km doing 1300m/s and I am flaming - is this normal, or should I be higher before I start doing this kind of speeds? 2) (Not a question) After hitting ~25km and 1500m/s I engaged rockets and reached orbit! 3) Cargo bay - how do I add "things" to it? Do I need to attach something somehow? 4) Landing was easy, but landing at exact spot was quite difficult - aerobraking to a precise location was hard, and didnt have enough fuel to correct that much (this landing was after a couple of autosaves ). Any tips on how to judge aerobraking, or will that come with practise? 5) I dont really like the look of many intakes on a plane, but I guess it will always be like that for plane SSTO? Or is there a way to minimize them? Once again, thank you for your advice, and I'm off to building more SSTO with payloads now (once I know how to put them in cargo:) ).

Thanks for some tips, will try adding more turbo jets and intakes later. Will update a bit later:)

Hi, I can make pretty good rockets now, so decided to start learning SSTO. Could you tell me: 1) The procedure of flight? (i.e. reach X km high with X speed, then activate engines etc). 2) What should I look for building SSTO? 3) Below is my first attempt (I know its a bit big) - it flies perfectly fine, and I can reach 15km with 400m/s horizontal speed, but then I start dropping down. Do I need bigger wings? More jet power? (I reach 0.1 for air intakes, but engines never flameout - I just start losing vertical speed). http://imgur.com/VFntonS (bigger image) Thanks

Hi, Even when im in space, going to EVA my Kerbal starts flying, so I have to come back to the ship and enter. Interesting part is, that the moment I exit to EVA, Im being shown "press space to release", but then I'm automatically released... (and I repeat, Im in space, not accelerating, no air resistance). How to fix this? Thanks

Awesome tips, thanks! One more thing - how can I attach elevators to vertical wing?: They seem to interfere with each other. P.S. With tweakables, do you mean right click on control surface, and disable two not needed axes?

I read that thread a couple of times, and it was my guide. I just didnt expect that slight change to CoL/CoM location makes a such big difference. And also, that thread doesnt mention elevator positioning (far from CoM), as you guys explained to me here. And thanks, I will try to look out for dry mass CoM

Thanks for the quick and really good info guys. As for my plane, with current set up, I had to move my engines right to the front, if I want to use back elevator: I think I'll need to redesign my plane, if I want to put engines in the back, as it was my original intention, but at least I'll know what to do. Thanks again!

Thanks for explanation, i understand it better now.

Thanks, And would you mind mentioning other reasons to have tail empennage?

Thanks for the answer, a bit clearer now. 5) Am I correct in thinking, that canards in the front, given everything even (distance of CoL and CoM, distance of canard/elevator) will be better than elevator in the back? If yes, why? 6) And could you please explain me why this elevator (control surface lift rating 0.7) is worse than this elevator (control surface lift rating 0.25) ? Thanks

Hi, I am trying to get better at building and flying planes, so I have built this plane. However, although it looks good (to me), it barely lifts from the ground at the end of the runway, and then it almost doesnt respond to elevator controls: However, if I just add two canards in front of CoM, it flies SO MUCH MUCH better: So I wanted to ask why is this? 1) I can see that CoL changes a bit in the second picture, however is this small change the biggest culprit? 2) Or is it because front canard is giving all the help? 3) Or is it because in pic1 my two wing elevators are almost with CoL? I would like to learn to build a plane without using canards. P.S. 4) How to put bigger elevators on the end vertical wing? I cannot do that... Thanks

Quick question without new thread - was VAB/launched orientation changed? Now I start 90 degrees rotated, unless I move 90 degrees in the VAB when building rocket

Thanks for the explanation. I didnt know about that 2.5km limit. Good mod! Was there any talk that this would be included in stock KSP? (Or something similar?)