How do I Plane?

[ibanix]

So thanks to a great tutorial thread I was able to actually build a plane that got off the ground. Now I have a bunch of questions:

1) Is there a way to set controls, or aircraft surfaces, to allow me to fly in a way that feels natural? You know, like banking and turning the ways planes usually do, not just one axis rotation. Two-axis rotation is possible but it feels really awkward. I just want to fly like a flight sim!

2) My plane won't stay straight on the runway. It likes to veer off to either side. My gear are parallel to the ground (in a two-by-two configuration).

3) I bounce a bunch of times before take off. Any ideas there?

Thanks in advance.

Edited July 6, 2015 by ibanix

[Hcube]

hi !

1) Not sure what you mean here, but in KSP you totally can bank and pitch to achieve a turn just like in real life ! just use the roll and then pitch up. You don't have to yaw all the time.

2)Uh, this happens to everyone. It's some kind of bug i guess. Try simply steering the jet on the runway, usually it deviates very little anyway.

3) If you bounce a couple times before take off, it's probably that you don't have enough lift, and so your jet needs to go faster in order to get that needed lift, hence not lifting up on the first time. Try increasing wing surface//increasing lift-to-weight ratio.

If you feel that yourplane has enough lift but won't point its nose up, then try putting the back wheels closer to the center of mass. The closer to it, the easier it will be to nose up. (but also the easier to smash your engines on the runway when pitching up)

I hope it helps !

[ibanix]

Thanks. Perhaps my ship just needs better turning ability....

My plane needs a little positive pitch to stay airborne. Any idea why?

- - - Updated - - -

Ah, found my problem; the engine was hitting the ground....

[Reddeyfish]

2/3) the runway in KSP is not perfect. Even when fully upgraded, it's slightly angled (I think downward and to the left, but I don't remember).

Also, non-fully upgraded runways are quite bumpy.

[ajburges]

Not sure what your first question is all I can think of is slip stream correction. Stock KSP won't give you that, but follow prograde SAS can give you a similar effect.

Without pics, I assume your runway issues are due to a wobbly craft. Need pics to confirm diagnosis.

Bouncing at takeoff is from insufficient lift to maintain a climb. Either add more wing, use a greater AoA, and/or gather more speed.

KSP does not really model Bernoulli lift. All lift is a factor of AoA. Ergo, positive vertical acceleration requires you to pitch up (and Kerbin is a frustrating source negative vertical acceleration until orbit)

[windows_x_seven]

This tutorial might help you.

[ibanix]

This tutorial might help you.

Ok, that was pretty funny.

[Sharpy]

1. Kerbin atmosphere is thinner than ours. The plane needs more lift to turn due to banking - more time to change the direction.

2, the craft veering to the side is almost always mechanical instability - the wheels getting crooked under the weight. If they are, say, attached to nacelles attached to the wings attached to side fuselages attached to the hull, they will become quite crooked under the weight of the hull. Either strut them (or the elements you attach them to) to the hull, or attach them to more rigid surfaces closer to the COM.

3. Get more speed over land before taking off.

[Kagame]

2. Simple fix: Turn on SAS as soon as you're able, and make sure you have a decent amount of vertical control surface. Feel free to turn it off again once you've taken off.

[Geschosskopf]

Is there a way to set controls, or aircraft surfaces, to allow me to fly in a way that feels natural? You know, like banking and turning the ways planes usually do, not just one axis rotation. Two-axis rotation is possible but it feels really awkward. I just want to fly like a flight sim!

The main problem here is that unless you change things, all control surfaces (and airbrakes, too) default to trying to work on all 3 axes of rotation so no matter what inputs you give, you're always being confounded by spurious surface movements. To fix this, right-click on each control surface (and air brake) and disable the axes you don't want it working on.

My plane won't stay straight on the runway. It likes to veer off to either side. My gear are parallel to the ground (in a two-by-two configuration).

If the wheels are on straight, then veering is almost always caused by the main structure flexing, which skews the wheels out of alignment. Adding a few carefully placed struts often helps.

3) I bounce a bunch of times before take off. Any ideas there?

This can also be caused by structural flexing. The other main cause is trying to pull it off the ground before you've got flying speed. I like to build my planes so they sit a little nose-high on the ground. Thus, when they obtain enough speed, they ROG by themselves.

[sha]

Hello,

Im a senior aircraft engineer now, and here is my two cents:

- ensure that your aircraft has "flaps", it is in the aerodynamic section and you have to, in theory, fix it on the rear side of the wings (if you have wings)

- the position of your tail fin is really important. Press 'C' to place it (to have the hexagon icon). The tail fin defines the way you aircraft will go. Another solution is to place two tail fin like the F-22 for example: https://www.google.fr/search?q=F22&newwindow=1&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=PBOcVZ3dIcraU8Dnr8AL&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1132&bih=895

- i just find a command in the wiki, appearently you can modify the steering by pressing the ALT+direction. But i'm playing aircraft in many way for month and I never use this.

As example one of my training above the Space center with a Rafale like:

[Vegetal]

One thing: Apart from the landing gear getting buckled under weight, it could also be cambered (inclined outwards or inwards), which is also dangerous on the runway.