Dropping Jeb from a plane

[ceauke]

Hi guys

I'm trying to get some science on Kerbin so the plan is to fly an aircraft whereever I need to, and drop a capsule with Jeb in with science attached etc.

But the game won't let me split the aircraft it two... For a short moment it shows to vessels on the map but as soon as the capsule is out of the area of the plane, it vanishes.

While it's visible, it says it cannot switch while it atmosphere.

Any tips?

it seems that the only way to do this is only have one cockpit/capsule and destroy my plane in the process if I want to land on top of a mountain etc.

Edited August 24, 2014 by ceauke

[MarvinKitFox]

You cannot have two flying objects at the same time, that do not share the same physics bubble.(2.5km)

Only two ways of making this work:

1) Have the dropping plane so high, that it is not in atmosphere. Works like a charm, but is better know as the mothership+lander method.

or

2) Have your dropped pod reach ground and become non-flying, before it leaves your dropping plane's physics bubble.

it well need to be able to do so without your intervention, as you will not be allowed to swap.

But if the dropped pod is on ground, and not moving, it will remain.

So its either orbital drop, or very low combat drop.

HALO parachuting is not supported by the KSP fizzics model.

[rowns]

Try this mod is should help you get those science points: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/86691-0-24-2-DebRefund-v1-0-12

[M4ck]

Or use Flight Manager for Reusable Stages. It takes a while to get how it works, but is very useful for such situations. It kind of lets you reverse time back to separation of any controllable piece detached while in flight(a booster with a probe core, a lander, a twin plane aircraft etc.), do what you want to do with it(get to orbit, land, crash) and then continue your main mission from the moment of separation.

The only thing to remember is to always click Return to Main Vessel(or whatever it is called) after you are done with the current dropped part instead of switching vessels or going straight to the Space Center straight away.

[mythic_fci]

Try getting a capsule with Jeb, the Science!, 3 landing legs, and a few parachutes, go screaming low over the surface like it's the Reno air races on Kerbin, and once you find flat land, deploy the capsule, it's landing legs, and the chutes IMMEDIATELY.

[ceauke]

hi guys, thanks for the suggesions but in the end it seems cheaper just to strap on a few boosters to jeb and his capsule and do a balistic rocket launch to the location rather than flying there. Flying to the north pole is pretty boring and takes long and launching a rocket is more efficient. looking at my plane parts vs rocket parts, it actually works out cheaper to use an expedible rocket than an expendible plane