why airhog?

[jake9039]

I understand air hogging gives you more air for flying, but does it increase thrust, efficiency, something?

Edited March 1, 2015 by jake9039

[cantab]

It lets you fly higher. Since the air is thinner the higher your go this in turn lets you fly faster with the same amount of thrust from your engines. For a spaceplane, since jet engines are vastly vastly more fuel efficient than rocket engines this lets you get to orbit using less fuel.

[Claw]

"Air hogging" simply provides air longer to the jets. An engine can only use so much air, but at some point the supply starts to dwindle. When the supply dwindles, the engine doesn't produce as much thrust (until it eventually quits due to air starvation). Air hogging increases the minimum supply, so that the engine runs at a high rate for longer. But it doesn't affect the maximum thrust or efficiency.

In the end, the ability to air hog simply a byproduct of how the game is mechanized.

Cheers,

~Claw

[jake9039]

ok. thank you

[Errol]

Does air hogging a craft still do anything in 1.0.4?

[SAI Peregrinus]

Sort of. It does keep your intakes fed, but the jets have thrust curves dependent on pressure so your thrust will drop off even though the engine hasn't flamed out. So having an extra intake or two can give you a bit of margin to help prevent asymmetrical flameouts from sending you into a flat spin, though the Intake Build Aid mod is a better solution.

[Sharpy]

Note that while the engine doesn't flame out earlier, the only practical effect is burning the fuel uselessly - the thrust above some 24km is so pathetic that it can't keep up with the extra drag the additional intakes introduce.