Linked Jet Engine Shutoffs

[Sevant]

May have already been suggested, but I couldn't find a thread for it.

I would like the ability to link jet engine shut downs from the spaceplane/rocket construction bays. Essentially, if one engine in a manually selected group flames out/runs out of fuel/shuts down, I want a sensor to automatically deactivate all the other engines in that group. I already link my engine shutoffs into action groups, but I keep leaving them on too long and having my engines flame-out asymmetrically. As much fun as it is recovering from flat spins...

[Armchair Rocket Scientist]

Hmm... this is sort of like an autopilot, which the What Not to Suggest list says the devs will not put in the game. Until 0.23 came out, I'd have said "Nah, not gonna happen." However, the RAPIER engine has automatic mode switching, which I don't see being any different than auto-shutdown for jets.

By the way, Mechjeb has a "prevent flameouts" feature which auto-throttles jets. If the throttle starts decreasing of its own accord, you can shut down your jets.

[MR4Y]

This is not possible to be implemented because fuel(For all intendend purposes, IntakeAir is fuel) does not flow symmetrically in KSP.

Also, Jet engines throttle down automatically in 0.23 when air is running out.

[Pursuedtank]

You might want to look at something like this. Not exactly what you are asking for, but probably the closest you will get. (Under the Conditional Staging and Action Group Triggers section.)

[Sevant]

Armchair, thanks for the heads up on Mechjeb. I tried it, and it did prevent flameouts. Unfortunately, it did it by being very conservative with the throttle, whereas I would prefer to let the engines flame out at full throttle, but rig it so that the engines flame-out/shut down symmetrically.

MR4Y: Thanks for the input, but I think you misunderstood my suggestion. I do not want symmetrical flow such that engines flame out symmetrically. I just want to be able to tell the game to detect when an engine flames out, and then shut down other engines in a symmetrical fashion, whether those other engines still have fuel or not. As to the auto-throttle down in .23, I think that's just because they become air-starved and can't maintain maximum thrust. In any case, it doesn't prevent flat spins when one engine flames out and another doesn't.

Pursuedtank: Thank you. I haven't tried the mod yet, but it looks like it will do exactly what I want it to do.

UPDATE: I tried the Klockheed mod that Pursuedtank suggested. It did what I wanted it to by using flame-out sensors to activate action groups. Thanks tank.

Edited January 7, 2014 by Sevant

[MR4Y]

Armchair, thanks for the heads up on Mechjeb. I tried it, and it did prevent flameouts. Unfortunately, it did it by being very conservative with the throttle, whereas I would prefer to let the engines flame out at full throttle, but rig it so that the engines flame-out/shut down symmetrically.

MR4Y: Thanks for the input, but I think you misunderstood my suggestion. I do not want symmetrical flow such that engines flame out symmetrically. I just want to be able to tell the game to detect when an engine flames out, and then shut down other engines in a symmetrical fashion, whether those other engines still have fuel or not. As to the auto-throttle down in .23, I think that's just because they become air-starved and can't maintain maximum thrust. In any case, it doesn't prevent flat spins when one engine flames out and another doesn't.

Pursuedtank: Thank you. I haven't tried the mod yet, but it looks like it will do exactly what I want it to do.

UPDATE: I tried the Klockheed mod that Pursuedtank suggested. It did what I wanted it to by using flame-out sensors to activate action groups. Thanks tank.

The engine already detects lack of intake air and throttles down automatically in 0.23. You just don't see your acceleration level moving.

And by all means, flameouts should be symmetric. Unless KSP has some procedural failure generator we're unaware of.