Learn to fly in KSP with the stock Aeris 3A!

[Scrogdog]

Flying planes in KSP isn’t terribly difficult especially because of the physics model and no wind.

Even so, I stink pretty badly as a pilot. I’ve flown enough flight sims to know my way around, but I am far from a good or intuitive pilot.

But I am getting there as far as KSP is concerned with a great little plane. The stock Aeris 3A!

This plane is fantastic as it almost flies itself and you have to screw up pretty badly to crash it. It is essentially a powered glider.

Even if you stink as badly as I do, here’s how to get started with this plane. On the runway, press ALT+S three times (that gives you three steps of fine “up†trim) and press CAPS LOCK for finer control. That’s it! Now, apply full power and take off. You’ll begin to overheat at this setting so back off the throttle about 2.5 to 3 marks after taking off.

Go play!

Let the plane do the work! Play around with simple banking turns to start. See how fast you can bring her around with only banking turns.

It is also great for practicing landing approaches because of its gliding characteristics. You can X to cut power quite a ways out, depending on altitude, and glide your way in.

Actually landing on the runway is purely aesthetic at this point. If you miss and land on the grass instead you’ll be fine. Just don’t hit a building.

Practice turns and banks and how you might affect them by pressing S. Understand that trim helps you maintain a flight profile. And don’t be scared, you can flip this thing on its back and still recover!

Have fun! Once you “get†this plane, flying bigger ones is much easier.

You probably won’t glide like that in a bigger plane, but you will understand that landing does not mean pointing your nose at the runway. It’s about maintaining a flight profile while decreasing power after aligning with the runway.

This is more advice than a tutorial. Experts write tutorials.

[Specialist290]

Nicely done! You might not consider it a full tutorial, but I think it fits the mission of the Drawing Board quite nicely

[Scrogdog]

I'm honored!