How not to go off the side of the runway.

[Mirage]

Hello.

I have been trying to make many space planes, but I cant get them off the ground due to an odd phenomenon.

When the "launch" loads, there is a wait of 10 seconds or so before the plane drops onto the runway (from straight and level o how it would be in reality). But the issue is this gives the plane some momentum to the left or right. I stop this before launch, but by the the plane is pointing a degree or so off center, and when I try to take off it just veers to the side and crashes! If I correct, I find that it is either not enough or it goes madly between left and right...

Anybody know anything that can help?

[Ydoow]

Happens to me all the time.

I'm left to believe it's a bug with wheels.

What I've found that works best is to avoid using wheels at angles; keep them perfectly straight and perpendicular to the ground.

If that isn't the cause for constant off-center steering, use some ASAS

Edit: The 10 second delay isn't a bug, for clarification, that's just the game loading.

[Zephram Kerman]

This could be a few different things:

• make sure the wheels are exactly straight upright and parallel (as Ydoow said);

• if the veering happens at a high speed just before rotation, pull back on the stick earlier.

(On normal configuration planes, up-elevator command pushes the tail down and the nose up. Since the plane is not flying yet, there is no apparent affect. However, the wings are already generating some lift. If your main wheels are in the correct places, this means weight is being lifted off the main wheels but not the nose wheel. So now we have more drag up front than in back, causing a sudden change of stability. Pushing the tail down and the nose up transfers drag from the nos wheel back to the main wheels, stabilizing everything until getting airborne.)

[bsalis]

I have experienced this problem as well. I think Squad know of the problem and are looking to fix it.

Agree, this helps..

if the veering happens at a high speed just before rotation, pull back on the stick earlier.

and this...

avoid using wheels at angles; keep them perfectly straight and perpendicular to the ground.

Also, from what i have seen, different wheel arrangements can help. So experiment a little bit. Other than that, focus on getting the plane straight earlier before it picks up speed.

[EndlessWaves]

I find this is often caused by wheels that are flexing due to too much load. In those circumstances adding more wheels and finding a way to spread them more widely greatly helps keeping the plane on the straight and narrow.

[rileytech]

So it's an issue of weight distribution then...

[Zephram Kerman]

I find this is often caused by wheels that are flexing due to too much load. In those circumstances adding more wheels and finding a way to spread them more widely greatly helps keeping the plane on the straight and narrow.

Oh yeah! That's a big one. If the wheels are flexing, or if they are attached to something wobbly, you can forget about seeing the other end of the runway. Sometimes I see wing/fuselage parts bouncing and flexing. If that's the case, add struts or attach those parts in a different way.

Edited September 9, 2012 by Zephram Kerman

[Mirage]

Thanks for the help.

To note:

- I put the wheels on the main fuselage, or on the wings next to the fuselage.

- I try ASAS, but somehow it isn't enough...

Anyways, I'll put these ideas into my rocket and hope it works.

Thank you