Building VTOL & The new survey missions.

[SmashBrown]

Okay so I decided the most efficient way to get these new .90 survey missions done was to try to build a vtol, because it could then easily take me to the ground and air survey sites and get farming those contracts for precious funds.

However I am having trouble coming up with a decent design, having never really done much with aircraft in ksp, the new career mode is making me explore different area's of the game I would otherwise avoid. So, I need some help in designing one, I haven't upgraded the R&D building yet, and don't have access to wheels.

Also does anyone else find it very difficult trying to find the spot for ground surveys? I land in an area which tells me I'm where i need to be, but when I touch down, I'm outside it again, and its a real pain trying to wander into it with my kerbal running around just hoping I am going in the right direction.

Advise & Discuss please 😃

Edited December 20, 2014 by SmashBrown

[Hodo]

I actually built a small unmanned rover to haul around and do those contracts for me. I will fly it out, land the craft and then send the rover out complete the contract, drive it back pick it up and fly to the next place.

[SmashBrown]

Problem is I have no science upgrades for the a rover yet though! 😢

- - - Updated - - -

Problem is I have no science upgrades for the a rover yet though! 😢

[WanderingKid]

I've been using the plane itself as a rover. What I've taken to doing is basically bringing the craft down like it was going for a landing, and then firing my four chutes I have centered around my CoM. Once I land, I rover the entire plane over.

[SmashBrown]

I've been using the plane itself as a rover. What I've taken to doing is basically bringing the craft down like it was going for a landing, and then firing my four chutes I have centered around my CoM. Once I land, I rover the entire plane over.

With wheels?

[WanderingKid]

Landing Gear

[Wanderfound]

RCS Build Aid is absolutely essential for VTOL design; it is very tricky to get the thrust properly balanced without it.

For some example designs, see http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/90747-Kerbodyne-SSTO-Division-Omnibus-Thread?p=1527285&viewfull=1#post1527285 and http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/90747-Kerbodyne-SSTO-Division-Omnibus-Thread?p=1557239&viewfull=1#post1557239 and http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/90747-Kerbodyne-SSTO-Division-Omnibus-Thread?p=1527539&viewfull=1#post1527539 and http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/90747-Kerbodyne-SSTO-Division-Omnibus-Thread?p=1529447&viewfull=1#post1529447

[SmashBrown]

Ooh thanks.

[Kesa]

For early career aerial survey mission, you can simply design a VTOL vertically, pretty much like a rocket, with plane fuselage instead of lfo tanks and jet engines instead of rocket engines. add some chute atop of it, and landing gear at bottom, so that the engine does not touch the ground. (grider segments if you don't have, but the tech of landing gear really worth it).

you may add wings for aesthetic and efficiency purpose, if you know how to make plane.

Oh, and don't forget the air intakes (I've been almost stuck taking a 'test jet engine' contract + a survey yelling Hurray, 90 science less needed to make some juicy survey, not realizing I did not have any intakes available)

[Wanderfound]

Those are all designed for FAR, BTW; no guarantees that they'll work in stock aero.

[Wanderfound]

Oh, and don't forget the air intakes (I've been almost stuck taking a 'test jet engine' contract + a survey yelling Hurray, 90 science less needed to make some juicy survey, not realizing I did not have any intakes available)

You don't need intakes to test; just strap a jet engine or two on the side of an SRB and go for it.

[Kesa]

You don't need intakes to test; just strap a jet engine or two on the side of an SRB and go for it.

that's What I did, but then I could only do one contract at a time until I unlock the jet engine and intake to complete the survey I took along with the test part contract (I don't like canceling )

[Janos1986]

This one works pretty well, it's fast, a bit stiff to turn on normal flight, and it's under 30 parts for 6,3 tons. It has 4 mystery goos for extra science.

I hate crossposting but bear with me.

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I can upload the craft file if you're interested.

Edited December 19, 2014 by Janos1986

[percyPrune]

I've been playing around with VTOLs too and came up with a similar solution but slightly more minimalist:

Craft file posted here: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/103912-Simple-but-practical-VTOL-trainer-Only-25-parts-0-to-Mach-1-8!-%280-24-2-0-25-0-90%29

Removes all the terror of finding a flat landing strip! If you can't access wheels, just substitute landing legs.

[The_Rocketeer]

Those are all designed for FAR, BTW; no guarantees that they'll work in stock aero.

For your peace of mind, Wanderfound, all of your VTOLs that I've tried worked fine in stock (including the Cicada). They're fairly loose on low-speed attitude control compared to lighter VTOLs with more reaction wheels, but as long as you keep a firm hand on a stick that shouldn't be a problem for anyone.

A tip for increasing range is to mount the wings above the fuselage and under-slung drop-tanks on radial decouplers. (Keep in mind where the fuel will be relative to the CoM). With careful design, you can build a jet that still takes off vertically but extends its range to cover the whole planet, even at the sorts of tech level I'm seeing above.

Edited December 19, 2014 by The_Rocketeer

[SmashBrown]

Okay i seem to have found a semi functioning vtol design based on the ones posted here, having a lot of trouble landing the darned thing so i keep resorting to my emergency parachutes. Still, it's a start!