Kerbin Circumnavigation Challenge - Reloaded [New Rules Once More]

[Flixxbeatz]

Image created by GROOV3ST3R, not mine. Thanks man!

The Challenge:

Make an aircraft that can circumnavigate Kerbin (from KSC and back to KSC) on or below the set altitude and in accordance to a set of rules.

The Rules (Modified Once More):

-One must not exceed 25,000m (that is, going 25,001m and above will void your attempt)

-KSPX, NovaPunch and KW Challenger are the ONLY part add-ons that can be used.

-Any kinds of plugins (no matter what the use is) are NOT allowed. (Rule a bit 'laxed now, since I have accepted entries with Kerbal Alarm Clock and Crew Manifest, so any future entries using those plugins will now be added. The All-plugin ban are STILL in effect, though)

-Using the debug console is NOT allowed.

-Jet engines only.

-Any kinds of bug abuse/exploit will void your entry.

-Runway landing isn't required.

-Flight duration isn't important.

-The aircraft must take off and land in one piece. Nothing must be jettisoned or fall apart from the aircraft (in case of landing mess ups).

-Drop tanks and takeoff assist systems are now not allowed. (This will void some entries submitted before the Forum Purge)

-Two screenshots must be provided for an entry submission. First is the aircraft in flight/runway/SPH and the flight results after landing.

Happy Circumnavigating! Successful challengers will be added to the list below.

ELITE CIRCUMNAVIGATORS LIST

Flixxbeatz

PursuedTank

Kerbies_are_my_Minions

zarakon

Vaisman

GROOV3ST3R

SuperFastJellyfish

Torham234

Kuris

Teirusu

PolecatEZ

Kolt

BlueFox801

blackcap76

Wyseman76

KinkyFerrets

The_bT (double circumnavigation)

Goozeman

StormRanger

Xenonclave

Doull

Kappa73

Coneshot (22.5-hour run)

CaptainKorhonen

Zeroignite

The Procrastinaut

Heagar (TRIPLE circumnavigation)

Fengist

Irtanib

WafflesToo

Porspeler

GravityKillz

KC5SDY

khyron42

zorque

Mortaz

Blaster

11Bravo49417

Skogge

BigFatStupidHead

Truesilver

turkwinif (double circumnavigation)

leafty

TheBrisbyMouse

SpaceK531

700NitroXpress

BadSpecs

Kaa253

Sputnik's Revenge

CavemanNinja

Frafor

Vlk

Xyrus

Guber K

Ravenchant

SpenSpaceCorp

Jean Daux

Zipmafia

Wooks (QUADRUPLE circumnavigation)

BraniacBlue

zhollett

VincentS

nicky4096

SRiley77

CocoDaPuf

hoioh

Right

GeneralMDBK

Styles2304

Deutherius

E805BzRo

Camaron

Tweety

Edited March 23, 2015 by Flixxbeatz
New entrants! Keep 'em coming :D Will try to visit much more often again here in forums to check.

[Flixxbeatz]

Since I follow a "do-it-yourself-first-before posting" principle, here's my entry: XXGC-5109 "The Circumnavigator"

[mctavish4]

challenge accepted

[thes50]

Might have to try these rules in my Planes series of videos...

[Flixxbeatz]

Go ahead. I would love to see your attempts

Also for the people who submitted their entries before "it happened, resubmit them here, if it only confers to the new set of rules.

[mctavish4]

I change my mind, sounds not fun

[foamyesque]

No FAR? *sad*

EDIT:

Also, does "jet" include turbojets?

[Flixxbeatz]

o yea. turbjoets only.

[Kerbies_are_my_Minions]

I will still participate. "Have plane, will travel" I'm just working out the details on weather or not I'll need to stop for fuel, and estimating my time. I'm flying something stylish, and not going with a super huge goddy nothing but fueltanks and wings craft. so I may need to stop for fuel at some point.

[SecondGuessing]

Is the debug menu allowed in order to do some minor part stacking? It's not really cheating, as in almost cases you would have been able to stack the part anyway, it would have just taken fiddling in order to trick the game.

[Flixxbeatz]

I will still participate. "Have plane, will travel" I'm just working out the details on weather or not I'll need to stop for fuel, and estimating my time. I'm flying something stylish, and not going with a super huge goddy nothing but fueltanks and wings craft. so I may need to stop for fuel at some point.

A non-stop capable aircraft would be ideal. I did mine without any stop-overs in between.

Is the debug menu allowed in order to do some minor part stacking? It's not really cheating, as in almost cases you would have been able to stack the part anyway, it would have just taken fiddling in order to trick the game.

Sorry, no Debug menus.

[Kerbies_are_my_Minions]

I havn't tested my aircraft at your altitude over long periods of time. so stopping may not be nescisary. but look at your aircraft... it's... meh... and look at mine, it's beautiful! it just doesn't hold as much fuel....

[zarakon]

Well, I made it in 0:48:24 with plenty of fuel to spare

(click for full size)

Leaving base

Sunrise

Approximately half way

View of the crater

Sunset

Approaching KSC

Landed on the runway

(click for full size)

But near the end when I was checking my progress on the map screen, my altitude went over 25000 for a moment. Oops!

Edited May 4, 2013 by zarakon

[SpaceK531]

I was attempting this challenge with a slow-speed high-lift craft, but it wasn't balanced enough and while I was studying it went out of control, far above the 25,000 m limit.

[Pursuedtank]

I just made it all the way round. Took me forever though.

She may not look pretty but she gets the job done.

After landing

Managed to limit height to 24 744

[Ticondrius]

This was a fun challenge. I'd never done a successful aircraft before. It took a few goes to figure out that a ramjet was the way to go. I did a very light single-engine ramjet. Found a sweet spot for fuel at just a bit above 15,000m where the engine will shut off, you glide, engine reengages, then after a bit it shuts off again. Made for a slightly parabolic course, but I did it on just 360 units of fuel. Unfortunately, I misjudged the landing and crashed less than 200m from the runway.

I think the biggest challenge was keeping the damned thing level. Roll right, roll left, and every time the thing responded with a 100+ degree correcting roll. UGH!

[Flixxbeatz]

Congrats PursuedTank, you've made it on the list now.

Well, I made it in 0:48:24 with plenty of fuel to spare

-snip

But near the end when I was checking my progress on the map screen, my altitude went over 25000 for a moment. Oops!

Sorry bro But the aircraft looks capable.

I havn't tested my aircraft at your altitude over long periods of time. so stopping may not be nescisary. but look at your aircraft... it's... meh... and look at mine, it's beautiful! it just doesn't hold as much fuel....

-snip-

That's because I didn't bothered for aesthetics. I went in for the purpose.

I think the biggest challenge was keeping the damned thing level. Roll right, roll left, and every time the thing responded with a 100+ degree correcting roll. UGH!

I've actually experienced that before. Constant controls is surely a must

[Kerbies_are_my_Minions]

Made it in 1:06:08 with some fuel left. Even made it onto the runway. I dropped 4 engines from my design and still managed near Mach4 the whole trip with way better fuel efficiency.

And I didn't mean to make it sound like I didn't like your plane. Form typically follows function in this world, but I always have to have things look right. All the entries look great and well done everyone.

Edited May 5, 2013 by Kerbies_are_my_Minions

[Flixxbeatz]

Made it in 1:06:08 with some fuel left. Even made it onto the runway. I dropped 4 engines from my design and still managed near Mach4 the whole trip with way better fuel efficiency.

-snip-

And I didn't mean to make it sound like I didn't like your plane. Form typically follows function in this world, but I always have to have things look right. All the entries look great and well done everyone.

Congratulations for making it

[Kerbies_are_my_Minions]

thanks!

[Pursuedtank]

Thanks as well. I also experienced some issues with over correcting rolls in the same way.

[zarakon]

Alright, did it again, with no dumb mistake this time

[Vaisman]

Captain Kalawang, do you accept results if kerbal alarm clock mod installed, or "no mods and no exclusions"?

[Flixxbeatz]

zarakon, welcome to the club!

Captain Kalawang, do you accept results if kerbal alarm clock mod installed, or "no mods and no exclusions"?

I'll let that pass.

[Kerbies_are_my_Minions]

A couple of suggestions from all my experiances building planes.

1. Drifting to the left or right. I beleave that there may be a problem with the symitry tool in Kerbal. Mirrored objects in symitry seem to be a little different than the original. I have experimented with the flex of objects. I'm not sure if it's the uneven flex of the wing panels that cause the drifting, or if the lift is altered as well, but if I build a plane completely from the left side, it drifts left. if I build a plane completely from the right side, it drifts right naturally. There are two methods around this. Alternate from side to side when placing parts, or, throw one last solo low lift wing on whatever side tends to drift to.

2. Over-correction. The farther away from the body of your plane your control surfaces are, the greater the roll. You can keep your control surfaces in nice and tight against your hull for more precise rolling left and right. However, if you want to have alot of manuverability, keep them closer to the tips of the wings. it's a sacrifice. So, if you want less over correction when rolling, move your ailerons inward.

3. Bigger is not better. just like full throttle is not better.